


Tainted Love

by treya_barton



Series: Tainted Love [1]
Category: Persona 4
Genre: Alternate Universe - Detectives, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Vampire Slayer, Blow Job, Crime Scenes, F/F, Hand Jobs, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-01-15 21:07:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 55,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21259661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/treya_barton/pseuds/treya_barton
Summary: Hanamura Yosuke is a Tokyo detective working for a special, unknown department within the police force.  He always works night shift and one thing he doesn't have time for is relationships.  That is until he finally meets his mysterious downstairs neighbor Narukami Yu who just happens to be drop dead gorgeous.





	1. I Wear My Sunglasses at Night

It was dark in this part of the city. In the more crowded areas, where people were still bustling about, the bright billboards, streetlights, and lit businesses and restaurants made one forget that the light pollution washed out the stars and made the unlit side streets all the darker for it. This was a business district, crowded during the day but silent and empty at night. To a normal person it would seem eerie, sinister even, but for the young detective that was patrolling around it was business as usual. The type he hunted tended to stick to the shadows, which in turn meant he did as well. His auburn hair looked almost black in the dim lighting, and he was dressed simply in a pair of jeans and a dark red and navy blue plaid shirt. It was a little chilly out so he also had on a worn leather jacket that he had purchased with his very first paycheck as a detective. It had served him well throughout the years, and in the cooler months it was normal to see him wearing it.

Yosuke Hanamura whistled to himself as he walked around, nonchalant as he looked for signs of his suspect. It was completely silent on the street, odd even in the empty business district which would usually have cats or other city creatures stirring in the night. It definitely had Yosuke on edge a little even if he played it off and kept a casual air about him. Yosuke felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and he suddenly turned, bringing up a long knife that he kept hidden in his sleeve and using it to stave off an attack by a fearsomely wild looking humanoid being. It growled in annoyance as Yosuke’s blade cut into the flesh of its hand and pushed it back, causing the being to leap back, faster than the normal eye could see, as it snarled at the detective and bared its fangs at him.

Yosuke coolly smiled back before flipping his knife around, sliding it back into its sheath before pulling out his gun. “I’ve been waiting for you to make your move,” he said, sliding off the safety and aiming it at his opponent. The other figure was tall and gaunt with unkept black hair and eyes that glowed sinisterly in the dim lighting. He appeared to have once been a businessman based on the suit he wore, now shabby and torn from constant wear and tear. The being lunged at him again, fingernails sharp like a cat’s claws, and Yosuke quickly dodged before firing off a shot, causing the figure to howl in pain. Yosuke knew it would only temporarily slow it down, and sure enough the wound was already beginning to heal. The being in front of him was a vampire, and Yosuke was a modern day vampire hunter that also doubled as a police detective. This vampire had been stalking Yosuke all night, not realizing that in reality Yosuke was the one actually hunting him.

Yosuke fired off another shot before rushing at the vampire, twirling around it and pulling out a stake that he kept holstered to his leg. He lunged at the vampire, stake first, before ducking and rolling when the vampire turned around and attempted to rake Yosuke with his clawed hands. Yosuke fired off another shot from where he sprawled on the ground before leaping up and putting more distance between them. The vampire began to laugh, a dry, hacking sound that reverberated through the quiet streets, before he seemed to disappear into thin air. Yosuke was ready for him, however, and he quickly crouched down, gun and stake both ready. He felt a shadow cross overhead and looked up, quickly twisting and firing off a shot, hitting the vampire square in the face and causing his blood to spurt out behind it. The vampire continued to drop on him, limp from the point-blank injury, and Yosuke carefully rolled aside to avoid being pinned while also using his other hand to thrust the stake through the vampire’s heart, pinning him down. The vampire began to squirm as the injury to his head repaired itself, allowing him to become cognizant of the situation he was in, but it was too late. “Rest in peace,” Yosuke murmured, before pulling out his knife again and swiftly cutting the head from his body in one quick motion. Immediately, the body began to crumble to dust, and Yosuke pulled out a talisman that had the character for fire on it, placing it on the main part of the body and causing the corpse to burn at a faster rate before disappearing completely to ash.

He then dusted himself off from his tussle on the street, before pulling out his phone and sending his fellow detective and friend Naoto Shirogane a text thanking her for the tip on this particular creature of the night. She also often worked the night shift, although she always worked normal cases. She was aware of Yosuke’s secondary occupation, however, and kept a sharp eye out for any abnormal cases that may spark his interest. Yosuke felt his muscles sag as the adrenaline from the fight wore off, and realized how sore he felt from tumbling to the ground so many times. He checked his phone again for the time and realized how early it had gotten before deciding to head home for the night. He would file his paperwork from his laptop at home before getting some much needed shut eye…although a nice hot shower may be in order first. 

When he finally arrived home, he was surprised to see the lights still on since his cousin Teddie always turned them off before bed. He soon realized the reason as he spotted Teddie sitting at the kitchen table, tapping away on his phone with his earbuds in and oblivious to Yosuke’s arrival. Teddie was a stylish young man with blond hair and blue eyes, and always dressed in whatever was trendy at the time. Today it was green capris with a bright blue and red flower pattern and a navy blue button up shirt that matched his eyes. Yosuke had also enjoyed wearing bright, loud clothing at Teddie’s age, which is why he let Teddie express himself anyway he wanted even though his parents disapproved. Since Teddie was going to college in the city, Yosuke offered to let him stay with him so he could save on dorm or apartment expenses. In return Teddie helped with the chores around the apartment, which really helped Yosuke out who often worked long, exhausting hours.

Yosuke quietly snuck up on his cousin, feet light after years in his occupation sneaking around, before throwing his arm around his shoulder and rubbing his head as the blond let out an annoyed squawk. “What are you doing home?” he asked, pulling away and fixing his hair while glaring at his cousin who was doubled over with laughter at his annoyed expression.

“I wrapped up my hunt already so I’m going to type up my report and catch up on sleep. Speaking of which, what are you doing up and not sleeping yourself? Don’t you have that early morning class?”

“I just got home from studying with sensei,” Teddie replied with a yawn. “I was just trying to wind down so I could head to sleep.

“Your sensei?” Yosuke asked, feeling his protective instincts kick in. What “sensei” would have Teddie over so late? Teddie was about as naïve as he was attractive and had gotten taken advantage of on multiple occasions as a result. Yosuke tried his best to keep an eye out for warning signs, a task made difficult by their completely different schedules since he worked the night shift and Teddie was a normal university student.

“Yosuke, I’ve told you about sensei before,” Teddie said with a pout. “He’s our handsome, debonair neighbor!”

Yosuke vaguely recognized the man Teddie was talking about and had glimpsed him once or twice in the hallway. Teddie had talked about him several times, but it was always on his appearance and he never seemed to indicate actually knowing him so Yosuke had never thought much of it. “How long have you been meeting with our neighbor to study?” Yosuke asked. As far as he could tell, their neighbor appeared to be about his age and based on attire decidedly not a university student, although he supposed it was possible he was a graduate student or a TA.

“For a few weeks! Sensei is very smart,” Teddie said excitedly. “He explains everything so clearly!”

Yosuke began to feel even more agitated, before asking in a carefully controlled, friendly sounding tone, “So, do you have this sensei’s number?”

Teddie knew Yosuke well enough to know when his mood had changed, however, and he gave him a distrustful look. “Maaaaaaybe,” he drew out, clutching his phone possessively. “Why do you ask?”

“Ask him if he has time to meet up tomorrow,” Yosuke replied, a smile on his face. “I would like to get to know him.”

“Don’t you dare beat up sensei!” Teddie warned, a frown forming on his face. “He’s very nice and a perfect gentleman!”

“I won’t, I won’t,” Yosuke replied, although he dropped the friendly act a bit. “I just want to make sure he isn’t going to hurt you.”

“Hmmmm,” Teddie hummed to himself, while giving his cousin a sly look. “Very well then, I will ask sensei if he has time to meet with you tomorrow!” Yosuke was a little uncertain about Teddie’s sudden change of heart, but shrugged his shoulders. It suited his needs just fine. After a few moments of texting back and forth Teddie asked, “What time do you want to meet sensei?”

“You know I’d prefer in the evening if at all possible. But I am off work tomorrow so any time will work,” Yosuke replied.

“Sensei says the evening works – around five,” Teddie replied with a smile. “I know you’re going to like him,” he added fervently. “I can’t wait for you to become friends.”

“I don’t know about “friends”, Ted,” Yosuke rolled his eyes before fondly ruffling his cousin’s hair again. “I barely have time for the few I’ve already got. I’m going to take a shower and write up that report though. Don’t stay up too much longer,” he said, before waving and heading toward the shower.

Teddie stuck out his tongue at his cousin before glancing back at his phone again. He was absolutely positive that his cousin would be taken in by his sensei’s charms, and based on how raptly their neighbor paid attention when Teddie shared stories about his cousin he had a feeling he’d like him too. Teddie sighed dreamily and hoped that tomorrow their meeting would go well.

Yosuke, meanwhile, carefully boxed away the meeting tomorrow in his mind as he started his steaming hot shower, instead focusing back on the hunt that night and the report he would file on it. He had to write up both a police report and one for the actual vampire hunt, and he was thinking of how he could twist the incident into something that sounded viable for an official report. These cases never left bodies behind which left him having to be pretty creative in how he closed things out. The chief of police was aware of his secondary job function, but many in the force were not and he knew he couldn’t rely on the higher ups if he slipped up too often in his reports. 

After Yosuke finished with his shower, he toweled off before changing into some comfortable sweats and collapsing gratefully onto his soft bed. His room was pretty bare and had a desk with his personal computer and work laptop, a rather high tech stereo system that he was pretty proud of, and bookshelves full of albums and technical documents for work. He also had neat stacks of casework scattered throughout the room that he had separated by an organizational method that only made sense to him. He tried to keep his work contained to his room because he didn’t want Teddie to stumble across it and see anything that may disturb him; at the end of the day, Yosuke was a detective and he worked some pretty brutal murder cases.

Yosuke sat up with a groan before walking over to his desk, tugging the power cord from his work laptop so he could return to his bed and knock out both reports. He was getting pretty sleepy at this point, since the sun was starting to come up outside (although he couldn’t tell due to having blackout curtains in his room), but he managed to stay awake long enough to email both in before shutting his laptop and setting it on the floor next to him. He was too tired to get up and return it to his desk.

Yosuke woke up several hours later, groggy due to not getting enough sleep, but starving since he had not eaten anything when he got home. His stomach growled at him and he let out a groan before scratching his hair, always messy and wild in the morning since he tended to keep it a bit long. He headed outside, immediately squinting his eyes as he was assaulted by the bright daylight, cursing Teddie who always left the blinds open to let natural lighting into the apartment. As Yosuke’s eyes adjusted, he quickly realized he was alone as he usually was in the afternoon since his cousin was still at class. Yosuke yawned before making his way into the kitchen, pulling out one of his many containers of cup ramen while filling an electric kettle full of water. While he had the water going, he poured himself a glass of water and chugged it down, suddenly realizing how thirsty he was. His breakfast consisted of cup ramen and a side dish of vegetables his coworker Kanji had dropped off the last time he had been by, muttering about Yosuke and Teddie’s terrible eating habits.

Yosuke, admittedly, could cook simple meals, but it required a lot of work and actually having time to buy groceries, so he and Teddie usually subsisted on cup ramen and whatever they felt like from the local convenience store. It wasn’t the healthiest diet, but Yosuke reassured himself that Teddie at least got decent food at the school’s cafeteria since Yosuke had bought him a meal plan, while Yosuke sometimes ate decent food when out at work. Once Yosuke was done downing his food, he rinsed off his chopsticks and the container the veggies had been kept in, making a mental note to return it to Kanji before heading to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. He then changed into a pair of slacks, a white button up, and a red-orange sweater vest, deciding he wanted to make a good impression on their neighbor. It helped to look good when you wanted to interrogate someone since it tended to drop their guard.

Yosuke carefully styled his hair, adjusting it so the messiness looked attractive instead of like he lost a fight with a vacuum cleaner, and appraised himself in the mirror. He winked at himself, deciding that he looked good today, and did his best not to look too long to find anything to fault himself with. His confidence was much better than it had been in high school, but sometimes old habits would rear its ugly head and cause Yosuke to return to his self-deprecating ways. Yosuke stepped back into his room to grab his phone off the charger, checking the time before figuring out how much time he had left before he would be meeting up with their neighbor. He realized he didn’t know the man’s name, since Teddie had continued to refer to him as sensei, and he frowned. He checked his messages and his emails for work to make sure there wasn’t anything urgent before heading downstairs to look at their mailboxes. He knew what apartment number their neighbor was in since he was right below them and his eyes scanned the mailboxes until he came up on the right number and the name listed underneath. “Narukami-san, huh?” Yosuke said to himself.

He still had another hour to spare, so he headed back upstairs. He didn’t want to go out anywhere and risk being late, so instead he made good use of his sound system and put on a cd, laying back on his bed and relaxing as he listened to the music. Music had been the main thing to get him through high school, which had been rough with the usual peer and societal pressure placed upon students vying to get into college. Fortunately for him, his parents had a slightly more lax attitude, and his dad had been more interested in instilling a work ethic in him instead. Yosuke had ended up fascinated in policework since he had always enjoyed detective stories and had studied enough to join the police academy. He had a natural athleticism and instincts, and not long after joining he had been recruited to join the secret vampire hunting division within the police force and had upgraded from a patrol officer to a detective. Yosuke loved his work far more than he had enjoyed being a student, and he didn’t mind in the least the fact he had skipped university. This type of work far better suited him.

Finally, it was time for Yosuke to head downstairs, and he flicked off his music before standing up with a stretch. He carefully smoothed down his clothes before making his way downstairs and hesitating in front of his neighbor’s door. He smoothed his face and put on a pleasant smile before knocking on the door and waiting. He didn’t have to wait too long, for soon the door swung open to reveal their downstairs neighbor, who Yosuke was startled to realize wasn’t just attractive up close – he was drop dead gorgeous. Yosuke found himself momentarily stunned as he stared at the gray haired man who definitely looked put together with his perfectly coiffed hair, elegantly tailored dark gray slacks, sky blue sweater vest over a form fitting white button up, and a dark blue bowtie to tie the look together. His neighbor was also a little taller than him with a lean, tautly muscled body that he could see outlined through the tailored clothes. Yosuke’s eyes trailed up to meet the amused ones of his neighbor, and he suddenly realized he had been caught staring. Yosuke immediately blushed before bowing in greeting and saying, “It’s nice to finally meet you, Narukami-san. I am sorry I didn’t think to bring anything with me…”

“It’s quite alright. Why don’t you come in?” his neighbor asked, stepping aside to allow Yosuke to pass before shutting the door behind him. Yosuke slipped off his shoes and slipped on the house slippers offered by his neighbor, before looking around in awe at his neat and tidy apartment. It was tastefully decorated and very modern, although Yosuke spotted several pieces that looked quite old scattered about the apartment. “And please, call me Yu,” his neighbor added. “We are the same age so it would be odd to call each other by last name.”

“Ah, right, Yu then,” Yosuke replied. “And I’m…”

“Yosuke,” Yu replied with a grin, before leading Yosuke to the living room. It had large, comfortable looking leather furniture, and Yosuke sank into one of the armchairs, breathing in the luxurious smell. “Would you care for some tea?” Yu asked, and Yosuke nodded.

“I would appreciate it. Thanks,” he replied, carefully watching as Yu disappeared into the other room where the kitchen was. Although everything about the apartment seemed very comfortable, Yosuke couldn’t help but feel restless. So far the man had seemed very welcoming, but Yosuke couldn’t tell if it was authentic or if his judgement was being clouded by the man’s attractiveness. Yosuke steadied his mind, firmly shaking his head and reminding himself why he was there in the first place.

Once Yu returned with the tea and some cookies as refreshments, Yosuke accepted his cup and took a sip, surprised by the deep flavor. This was no ordinary green tea. He glanced at Yu who was politely waiting for him to speak, perfectly attentive while avoiding staring. Yosuke set down his cup and straightened his back, before carefully studying Yu, his trained senses in full force. “Thank you for agreeing to meet with me,” he started, and Yu bowed his head.

“I am happy to finally meet the cousin that Teddie speaks so fondly of,” he replied smoothly.

Hearing their neighbor so casually use his cousin’s name couldn’t help but raise Yosuke’s suspicions. “How long have you been tutoring him?” Yosuke asked, trying to sound casual as he sharply studied Yu’s reaction. 

The man seemed to think for a moment before replying, “A few weeks I think?”

“And what makes you qualified to act as a tutor?” Yosuke prodded, realizing he was being a little direct but deciding it was better to be straightforward.

Yu was patient with him and didn’t seem to mind. “I am a curator for the history museum and have a PHD in both history and anthropology,” he explained. “I also excelled at math and the sciences – I was always a well rounded student.”

Yosuke’s eyes widened a little. This man was his age and had a double PHD? “Why would a museum curator bother tutoring a college student?” he pressed, and Yu let out a little chuckle.

“I was coming home from work one day and spotted your cousin in the lobby loudly complaining about how hard his coursework was. I, of course, introduced myself to see if I could be of some assistance and ended up helping him with the math problem he was working on. He explained to me as I helped that he was studying in the lobby because he didn’t want to disturb you while you were sleeping,” Yu replied. “I then offered to allow him to study in my apartment so he wouldn’t have to work in such a distracting environment, and naturally I began to help him in areas where he grew stuck.” Yu was replying so matter-of-factly that Yosuke could tell that he was being honest. Everything in his body language was open and natural, and he could tell that he just seemed to be an overall good guy. Yosuke felt his defenses drop a little bit, and he couldn’t help but feel a little touched that his cousin hadn’t wanted to disturb him either.

“I see…” Yosuke said to himself, before taking another sip of tea. Yosuke was quiet for a moment as he analyzed the information Yu had told him, begrudgingly deciding that maybe he was trustworthy after all, when he noticed the other man’s eyes on him.

Yosuke looked up, and was surprised when the other man didn’t look away. “I am happy to finally get to meet you after all of this time. Teddie has told me a lot about you, and I must admit I have been pretty curious,” Yu explained, and Yosuke felt his face flush in surprise.

“You’ve been curious about me?” he asked, with a small laugh. He internally winced at how self-deprecating it came across. Yu, however, pretended not to notice.

“I have,” he replied warmly. “Being a detective sounds like an exciting line of work,” he added.

“Ah, yeah, it can be sometimes. When we’re not filing paperwork,” Yosuke said with a laugh.

“Ah, I too loathe paperwork,” Yu grinned. “It seems like in no matter what your line of work, that is unavoidable.”

Yosuke chuckled at his reply, and was suddenly surprised at how easy it was to talk to Yu. Even though he was obviously much smarter than Yosuke, he somehow felt like he was on the same level and very approachable. ‘No wonder Ted likes him so much,’ Yosuke thought. They ended up talking for a bit more, and when Yosuke started to realize he had been there over an hour and was getting hungry again, he reluctantly began to wrap up the conversation.

“You are more than welcome to visit again, anytime you wish,” Yu explained. “Ah, we should probably exchange contact information. We are neighbors after all.”

“Of course,” Yosuke replied, deciding it was a good idea, especially if Teddie was going to continue to come here to study. “Oh, I should probably buy you dinner sometime,” he said offhand, realizing how it sounded when he felt Yu’s steady gaze on him again. Yosuke quickly blushed, feeling flustered as he explained, “You know, to pay you back for taking care of my cousin. It’s really nice of you to take the time to tutor him.”

“I look forward to it,” Yu said with a gentle smile, and Yosuke’s flush deepened in response.

“Uh, text me later and we’ll come up with a time and day,” Yosuke replied, realizing his voice was coming out a bit squeaky. He winced – it had been years since he had reacted to someone like that.

“It’s a date,” Yu promised, causing Yosuke to choke.

“It’s not a…” he started to protest, while his neighbor began to laugh at him. Yosuke huffed and folded his arms across his chest before fixing his neighbor with a stern look. “I seriously want to thank you here," he pointed out, and Yu unfortunately quieted down, although he still looked amused. Yosuke found he missed the rich sound and realized he wouldn’t mind hearing it again.

“And I appreciate it,” Yu replied sincerely. “I’ll text you my schedule later.”

Yosuke nodded before giving Yu a smile, a real one this time, and headed to the door to swap back into his shoes. Yu saw him out the door, watching him as he made his way upstairs, and as Yosuke rounded the corner to his floor he couldn’t help but stop for a moment before placing a hand over his rapidly beating heart. That man was dangerous…although not, as it turned out, for Teddie. Instead, he was dangerous for Yosuke’s heart.


	2. Somebody to Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yu finds himself interested in his neighbor and looks forward to being treated to dinner by the attractive detective.

Yu leaned in the doorway for several moments after the detective left, noting the momentary pause after he had rounded the corner before he finally returned upstairs and closed the door. Yu couldn’t help but play back over the entire encounter in his mind as he finally stepped back into his apartment and got ready to head to work. He had been pleasantly surprised to receive a text from his young neighbor the night before asking him if he would meet with his cousin, for after hearing Teddie talk about him for so long he had found himself curious about him. Yu had only ever seen Yosuke in flashes, and his brief impressions of the man had been that he seemed attractive but that he also often carried the scent of blood on him. With his occupation, it wasn’t too surprising, although on more than one occasion Yu thought he was catching the scent of vampire blood, which was definitely worrisome. 

After finally meeting Yosuke, however, Yu was struck by how warm and friendly he became once he let his guard down. He hadn’t been entirely surprised to catch on to the fact reason for his visit had been out of concern for his cousin, but he had been caught off guard by how much more striking and lively Yosuke was in person. The moment he had opened the door and finally faced the detective, his breath had literally caught in his throat, and he had been spared getting caught staring by the fact the detective had fortunately chosen to stare back even longer. He found Yosuke’s slip ups charming, and the easy way he was riled up incredibly alluring. And the smile that lit up his face when he was leaving was downright sexy in how natural it was with his tousled hair and boyish charm.

Yu was definitely smitten, which was allowing him to throw caution to the wind a little in accepting the invitation to dinner. In fact, he was quite looking forward to it. He hummed to himself as he headed out the door and down to where he kept his car parked, a rare luxury in the city. Due to Yu’s age and resources, he had accumulated quite a bit of wealth over the years, even if he chose to live more simply than some of his more extravagant friends. As he began the 20 minute commute to work, his musings were interrupted by the one who most aptly fit the description. He clicked the button on his steering wheel to answer the call, and a small smile graced his face as the voice of his oldest and dearest friend greeted him through his car’s speakers. “Hello, darling, did I catch you on your way to work?” Rise asked. Darling was an old pet name for him from back when they dated almost a century ago that she kept up long after they had broke things off. Rise was a well-known super model and didn’t understand Yu’s taste for his quiet, reserved life.

“You did indeed,” Yu chuckled. “How has work been?”

Rise spoke to him about working with the up and coming fashion designer named Ai and how she would be walking her upcoming fashion show for her fall collection. Rise let him know he would be receiving an invitation shortly and that she fully expected him to be there. She liked to drag him out to social functions to ensure he didn’t spend all of his life burying himself in his research and hiding out in his “dreadfully small” apartment. “Oh, do you have any plans this week? I’m planning on going out for drinks with some friends and thought it would be nice if you joined us,” Rise said, swiftly changing topics.

Yu pinched the bridge of his nose and winced. Anytime Rise invited him out for “drinks with friends” it always ended up being a very unsubtle attempt to set him up with someone which also always ended in failure. It had been awhile since Yu had last truly seen someone – over a decade at this point – and while he was perfectly content with his single life it drove his best friend crazy. “Actually, I do have plans this week,” he said thoughtlessly, before immediately regretting it as Rise replied with a spark of interest in her tone.

“Oh? What kind of plans?” she asked, trying to appear nonchalant although he could already imagine the gleam in her eyes.

Yu let out a sigh. He was never any good at coming up with lies and usually tended to be quite straightforward. “I was invited out to dinner by a neighbor,” he said, and Rise audibly gasped on the other end of the line.

“It’s that detective, isn’t it!” she said gleefully, while Yu felt his cheeks blush in confusion. How could she possibly have known?

“How did…I mean, yes. He wanted to thank me because I have been tutoring his cousin,” he quickly explained. He didn’t want Rise getting the wrong idea, although it appeared he was far too late.

“I had a feeling something was up. Every time you mentioned you were tutoring the university student you would inevitably say something about that cousin of his,” she said excitedly. “And from the way you described him, he’s totally your type.”

“My type?” Yu asked. He wasn’t aware he had a type, and also doubted Rise’s words due to her pitiful track record when it came to setting him up.

“Yes, your type. You always go for brunets with sunny smiles,” Rise replied. “And legs for miles.” She then giggled at her rhyme. Yu thought back to his previous relationships and frowned. She did have a bit of a point. “Unfortunately, it’s hard to find genuinely warm and friendly people these days…I’m glad you seem to have stumbled upon one yourself!”

That answered his latter question. Yu let out a sigh. “Don’t get your hopes up,” he replied. “It’s not a date.” His mind wandered back to his earlier conversation with the detective and how he had blushed bright red after Yu had jokingly suggested it. If only…

“If you say so,” Rise said with a sing song voice. “But, you must give me all the details afterward. When is it?”

“I’ll be sending him my schedule once I get to work and then we’ll pick a time. Fortunately, he appears to work night shift so setting it later shouldn’t be a problem,” Yu replied.

“I am excited for you. It’s been awhile since you’ve gone out with someone. I’m sure you’re almost to work at this point – I’ll let you go. My break is almost up for the shoot. Talk to you later, darling!” Rise then hung up, just as Yu was pulling up to the employee parking lot at the museum. He shook his head in bemusement before parking his car. Some things never changed.

The first thing Yu did upon reaching his office was check his schedule for the week, before sending Yosuke a text with his availability. He was pleased when the detective replied quickly, his messages short and riddled with typos due to how quickly he typed. Yu had a feeling it was common in his profession with how fast paced it could be. He also found it another endearing trait. They decided upon Thursday evening before Yu finally got settled into work. His conditions upon accepting the job had been to work at night, and although it was unorthodox the museum had readily agreed due to their eagerness to employ him because of his credentials and reputation in the field. Yu had to build a new life for himself every few decades once the fact he appeared ageless began to become hard to hide, but he found the change was a benefit since it allowed him to study and learn a new field every time. It gave him a continued appreciation for life and kept him from growing bored as so many others of his kind did.

Yu, who was normally focused on his research, found himself distracted that night, and he couldn’t help but occasionally pick back up on the text conversation with his new acquaintance who would quickly respond back until he eventually mentioned playing a videogame and finally fell silent. Yu was a little disappointed by that, although he had to admit it helped him remain better focused on his work afterward. Fortunately, the next day Yosuke was at work, which meant his messages were far less frequent which kept Yu on task, even though his mind frequently wandered back to the detective and their upcoming plans. He found himself looking forward to dinner, and wondered where it was the detective would be taking them.

He ended up inviting Yu out to a trendy sushi place in town that had a very personable chef that chatted with his customers as he made their meal. Yu noted that Yosuke appeared pretty nervous, and based on the fact Yosuke was already there when he himself arrived a few minutes early he figured the other man had probably been there for several minutes already. “Hopefully this is ok,” Yosuke said, fidgeting a little where he stood. It was a sharp contrast to the Yosuke who had been so confident when interrogating him, and Yu realized that he liked this shy side of the detective as well. He could already imagine Rise’s knowing smirk and shook his head before giving Yosuke a warm smile in order to calm his nerves.

“This is an excellent choice,” he replied. The restaurant was pretty well known and had great reviews, and he could tell that Yosuke had put a lot of thought into the choice even with the little he knew about Yu. It was just a shame the food was wasted on Yu who wouldn’t really be able to taste it. It was one of the main drawbacks to his condition.

Yosuke smiled gratefully at him before ushering them inside and providing his name to the host for their reservation. They were brought right to the bar and Yosuke explained they would be getting the chef’s choice that night, while asking Yu what he wanted to drink. Upon seeing Yosuke perusing the alcoholic menu, Yu picked out a nice sake for them to share before subtly slipping a pill into his drink when Yosuke wasn’t looking. The pill was like a synthetic blood and when added to any liquid would sate his hunger. It wasn’t quite as good as the real thing but it made it to where he didn’t have to subsist on human blood; it was the modern day vampire’s answer to bloodlust.

They fell into a conversation as they sipped on their sake and sampled each piece of sushi that the chef painstakingly crafted for them. Yu could tell by Yosuke’s reaction that each piece was probably delicious, even though it was completely tasteless to him. Fortunately, he was still able to enjoy the quality of the sake, and even more so of Yosuke’s company.

To his surprise, Yosuke asked him several questions about his work, taking interest in it even though it was obvious he didn’t have a lot of personal interest in history or archaeology. He did seem to know a little about the Sengoku period, stating he had a teacher in high school that was obsessed with it, although his level of knowledge suggested he had at least a slight interest in it himself. Yu also asked Yosuke questions about his work as a detective, assuring him that he didn’t mind hearing some of the more graphic details when Yosuke seemed hesitant to answer, and he couldn’t help but find it fascinating when Yosuke began to animatedly talk about his job. He could tell Yosuke was passionate about his work and had good instincts, but he could also tell that he was careful in some of the details he provided and would occasionally catch himself before blurting something out. 

Yu couldn’t help but instinctively try to tease out a few of the details the detective was trying to hide from him, and was impressed when Yosuke managed to navigate around his attempts each time. While Yu found it a little suspicious, he also knew that as a detective there were probably parts of the cases he worked that were confidential, so it made sense he would use discretion about certain aspects of the cases. While Yu enjoyed hearing Yosuke talk about his work, he couldn’t help but find his interest pique even more when they stumbled into a different topic. “Being a detective can be kind of lonely sometimes,” Yosuke said with a sigh as he took another sip of sake. His face was slightly red, and Yu could tell he was starting to get a little tipsy. It hadn’t affected his ability to talk around his casework, but it did seem to be loosening his tongue about his personal life which Yu was a little more interested in anyway.

“You do work difficult hours,” Yu commented. He knew how hard people working a night shift had keeping up with a social life – in a way it was the same for his kind when it came to interacting with the human population. He rarely saw his own colleagues due to his schedule and mainly met with them at events the museum held in the evenings.

“It’s more than that. I’m on call all the time and don’t really have time for someone else outside of work, you know?” Yosuke said, with a small sigh. “I barely have enough time for Ted… Thanks again, by the way, for spending time with him and helping him study. I know he gets lonely sometimes…” Yosuke seemed guilty and a little defeated, and Yu found he didn’t like to see him like that. He missed the warm smile and the animated way he talked.

“I am sure you did your best to find time for them. And I know you do the same for Teddie,” he gently replied.

Yosuke laughed bitterly. “How would you know that?” he asked with a wry grin before popping their next piece of sushi that was topped with a creamy sea urchin into his mouth. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh at the flavor, before opening them and looking startled at the fact Yu had leaned forward to look him in the eyes.

“How long did it take you to pick out this restaurant?” he asked casually, causing Yosuke to blush.

“Why are you asking that?” he asked, hand nervously rubbing the back of his neck. He didn’t move away, however, and for some reason the thought made Yu quite happy.

“To point out I can tell how much thought you put into it,” Yu replied, finally leaning back and feeling smug when Yosuke looked a little disappointed. “If others were unable to tell how much care you put into the relationship and were unable to understand the nature of your work, they didn’t deserve you to begin with.”

Yosuke opened his mouth before hesitating and shutting it again, obviously unable to know how to respond to Yu’s statement. Yu took another sip of his sake before grinning at him. “I wouldn’t mind doing this again, although next time it will be my treat.”

“You don’t have to treat me,” Yosuke objected. “I mean, I was doing this because of Ted…”

“Consider it my thanks for what you do every day to keep the city protected,” Yu replied with a twinkle in his eye, feeling amused when Yosuke narrowed his eyes at him. The detective could tell he wasn’t being honest about his intentions, but he let it go with a shrug.

“I’ll be looking forward to it,” he said with a playful grin, and Yu felt a sudden tug in his chest that he hadn’t felt in years. 

‘Damn that Rise,’ he thought in annoyance, realizing that she was right. He certainly _did_ have a type after all and Yosuke seemed to be checking all of the boxes.


	3. Who Are You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yosuke is invited to check out a case with Naoto and they come up with theories as they begin their investigation. This chapter covers a crime scene centered around a murder and also briefly refers to an assault case.

Yosuke couldn’t get his mind off of dinner the night before. ‘How long did it take you to pick out this restaurant…’ Yu’s question kept ringing in his ears, and it caused a blush to creep up the back of his neck. It still baffled him that the guy could somehow _tell_. Yosuke had spent hours looking up places to go and trying to find one that he thought suitable for a guy like his neighbor; usually Yosuke ended up at family restaurants with Teddie or izakaya with his friends from work but neither really seemed classy enough. That sushi restaurant had really good reviews and Yosuke had been wanting to try it for a little while now…

Suddenly, Yosuke found his airway restricted as an arm latched around his neck, shoving him painfully down to the ground before a knee pushed into his back, keeping him pressed against the mat he had been sparring on. “Look who finally decided to join us,” a voice said sarcastically above him, and Yosuke gasped for breath and flailed a little until his neck was finally released. He sent a pointed glare at Chie who was his former partner and was currently the sparring instructor while she was on light duty. “Look, I tried getting your attention for the past five minutes or so,” Chie defended herself, before crossing her arms in front of her chest. Chie may have been small but she was mighty and well-versed in martial arts; she had always been a force to be reckoned with. “What’s got you all spacey today?”

Yosuke’s blush resurfaced and he awkwardly ran his hand over the back of his neck from where he was kneeling on the mat. He carefully avoided her gaze. “N-nothing really,” he replied, and Chie stared at him for a moment, obvious disbelief on her face.

“Does this have anything to do with your little outing yesterday?” she asked, her eyes suddenly lighting up as they always did when she either got to gossip or tease Yosuke.

The detective let out a sigh, before leaning back on the mat and crossing his legs. Chie eagerly plopped down next to him. “What was he like?” she asked excitedly, and he rolled his eyes. Chie and her girlfriend Yukiko had invited him out for drinks yesterday and when he had declined saying he had plans they had pried the information out of him.

“He was fine. Dinner was fine. I told you already, I was just thanking him for tutoring Ted,” Yosuke replied in exasperation.

“Oh, I’m sure he was _fine_ based on how you’ve been acting today,” Chie said, her eyes twinkling with excitement. 

“Chie, seriously?” Yosuke grumped at her.

“Where did you take him?” she asked curiously.

That reminded Yosuke again of Yu’s comment about him being thoughtful, and he quickly shook his head to clear is thoughts. “That sushi place – you know the one with the really friendly chef?”

“Hmmmm…seems kind of fancy for you,” Chie tilted her head.

“Hey, I can be fancy!” Yosuke objected, causing Chie to burst into a fit of laughter.

Their bickering was interrupted by the arrival of a tall and lanky man. He was a year younger than them and had also been in the force a shorter amount of time and was a little rough around the edges. It worked well for the undercover work he did in their division though. “Give sempai a break,” he lightly admonished. He had walked in on the tail end of their conversation.

“Thanks Kanji,” Yosuke said in relief. Kanji helped Yosuke up before clapping a hand onto his shoulder.

“I’ll be rooting for you,” Kanji added, pumping his fist in the air in solidarity, and Yosuke slammed his palm into his forehead.

“I’m telling you – it wasn’t like that!” he groaned while Chie resumed laughing. Fortunately for Yosuke, he received a call from Naoto asking for him to join her for a non-vampire case. While she usually only involved him when she suspected vampires would be involved, there were occasional cases where she felt Yosuke’s instincts would be a good fit for the case, so she would invite him to inspect the crime scene with her and come up with some theories based on the evidence that was gathered. While Naoto had great observational skills, Yosuke had natural instincts had a tendency to piece together things that Naoto would skip since it often too much a leap in logic.

“I’ve gotta go – Naoto wants me to work on a case with her,” Yosuke said after he had ended the call.

Chie pouted. “Man, I wish I could return to the field,” she complained, while crossing one arm over her chest and gripping the other that limply hung at her side. Yosuke’s eyes glanced at a large scar that ran down her arm and he felt an old feeling of guilt claw at his chest.

“It won’t be too much longer,” he replied while giving her a weak smile. Chie frowned at him, but before she could berate him for beating himself up again, he began walking away, waving at them while refusing to look back.

“Hey, Hanamura!” Chie shouted after him, while he heard the low grumble of Kanji telling her that he wasn’t going to listen anyway.

Yosuke closed his eyes for a moment and paused, a brief image flashing before his eyes of Chie laying strewn on pavement, blood pooling around her from various tears and gashes along her body. He clenched his fists and let out a shuddering breath, before quickly making his way to the lockers to shower and change. He then headed outside, spotting Naoto waiting for him in her police car. He got in the passenger seat and was immediately handed her phone which had her email pulled up with some details about the case included.

“Why did you decide to call me in?” he asked curiously as he began to read through it. From the details gathered so far it seemed pretty normal as far as murder cases were concerned. It appeared to be an attempted robbery gone wrong based on the condition of the store and the fact the victim was the store owner. It appeared to have happened early in the morning, probably as the owner was at the store alone preparing to open; it was one of those used goods stores and while most things were pretty cheap they did have a few electronic goods and pieces of jewelry that may be worth stealing.

Yosuke’s eyes roamed through the notes, trying to see if anything _was_ stolen, but while the place looked ransacked there didn’t appear to be anything missing so far. Nothing except some cash from his wallet which seemed like a pretty petty theft, especially considering the outcome of the crime. “Notice anything odd yet?” Naoto asked quietly, predictably waiting for him to spot it instead of spelling it out.

“For an attempted robbery, they sure didn’t take much,” Yosuke replied. “It looks like he was tied up as well.” Something about that detail bothered him. “Did it say with what material?”

Naoto’s small smile let him know he was on the right track. “It was blue rope. It had definitely been brought by the perpetrator and not something kept in the store,” she replied.

Blue rope… Yosuke’s eyes narrowed. “Wasn’t there another case like this a few weeks ago?” he asked. “That victim had been brutally attacked but let go,” he added.

Naoto nodded. “Unfortunately, the perpetrator had been wearing a mask and the victim is having a lot of trouble remembering details due to the trauma,” she said with a sigh. “If it’s the same person…it sounds like they’re escalating.”

“So, you don’t think this was a robbery attempt at all,” Yosuke replied.

“We need more facts first,” she said firmly. Naoto didn’t like to speculate without all the facts and evidence laid out in front of her, but Yosuke could tell she was already starting to pull together some theories based on the details on the case so far. It wasn’t like it was the first time someone had tried to mask one crime with another kind of crime. Yosuke couldn’t help but feel for the victims and their families though, and he felt his usual spark of justice thrum through his veins. 

“We’ll figure this out,” he said, fire in his eyes, and Naoto smiled.

“I am sure we will sempai,” she replied. Naoto technically was Yosuke’s senior based on the years of experience she had on the field, dating back to before she was in high school, but once she had found out he was a year older than her, she had taken to using the term occasionally when it was the two of them as a form of respect. In front of others she always referred to him as Hanamura-san though. Yosuke couldn’t help but chuckle to himself over Naoto’s very internal guidelines when it came to her logic. He had found it odd at first, but after working together for so long he had grown used to it.

They arrived at the crime scene and stepped out, quickly noticing that a different detective had beaten them to it. “Tohru-san, what brings you here?” Yosuke asked curiously as he and Naoto walked up to the front of the store that had been blocked off with police tape.

“I could say the same to you, Hanamura,” the man replied. “This isn’t your jurisdiction.”

“It _is_ mine, however, and I invited him,” Naoto replied bluntly, and Adachi clicked his tongue in reply.

“This seemed similar to a case I’ve been working. So, I figured I should come and check it out,” he replied. Adachi worked assaults and had been the one to investigate the other shopping incident that Yosuke and Naoto had been discussing earlier. However, he had hardly gotten any headway on the case and in fact seemed to have upset the victim with the line of questioning he had used when interviewing her. He had asked questions that blamed the victim, and honestly Yosuke already wasn’t really that fond of Adachi to begin with. There were a lot of rumors that some of his practices weren’t exactly by the book, and while none of them had been proven it didn’t stop him from feeling suspicious. 

“Well, it’s not like we can stop you from looking,” Yosuke replied, before ignoring Adachi and following Naoto inside. To his relief, the older detective opted to stay outside and continue to slink about out there. Yosuke couldn’t deny that the man’s instincts were also spot on, but he had been on the same level as Yosuke for quite a long time and didn’t really seem motivated to try to move up in his career for whatever reason. He also tended to say some pretty obnoxious things sometimes, and Yosuke was surprised he had been allowed to get away with it for so long. He shook his head and tried to push the other detective from his mind as he and Naoto prepped themselves by covering their shoes and putting on gloves so as to not disturb the crime scene. Once they entered, they steeled themselves as they spotted the body, years of detective work numbing them to the horror so they could view it with a clinical eye. It never stopped them from sympathizing with the victim and wanting to ensure he saw justice for what happened to him.

They were both quiet as they reviewed the scene, picking up on a few similarities to the other case while noticing some key differences. Both victims appeared to have suffered some abuse, and based on the fact they had both been tied up Yosuke had a feeling the perpetrator probably had a gun he used to subdue them and control the situation. At the first location a few more items had been stolen to make it feel more like a robbery, while at this location the money stolen from the wallet almost seemed like an afterthought. Both victims had struggled but they had different victimology; one had been a female store manager who was in her late 20s and had been closing alone, while the male store manager was in his 50s and had been opening the store. More than likely each store had been staked out with the perpetrator knowing the store would only have one person during those times. 

Yosuke and Naoto puzzled over the details as around them the crime scene investigators bagged evidence and took pictures of the crime scene. “I’m going to go and interview the employee that walked in on him,” Naoto explained, before turning to look at him. “Once I’ve got a case file together I’ll send you a copy to look over.”

Yosuke nodded. “I look forward to catching the bastard who did this,” he replied. He then gave Naoto a wave before checking his phone. It was still pretty early in the evening, so he shot a text to Yukiko, trying to see if she was still at her family shrine. Fortunately, she was. He took a taxi over to there since it wasn’t really on a train line and would be a bit of a walk, and when he arrived Yukiko greeted him with a smile. She was still dressed in her shrine maiden outfit that she often wore during the day with red hakama, a white kosode, and a red hair ribbon keeping her long, black hair pulled away from her face. Yukiko was a miko at the Amagi shrine, and she blessed his weapons and provided him the talismans he used when fighting vampires. She also happened to be his partner’s girlfriend which meant she had already heard about their discussion that afternoon.

“How are you doing this evening, Yosuke?” she asked with a knowing smile on her face. Yosuke blanched slightly – whenever Yukiko got that look on her face it usually spelled trouble for him.

“Not too bad. Just got back from a crime scene,” he replied. “Figured since it wasn’t too late I’d have you take a look at these.” Yosuke pulled his weapons out of his bag to show her.

Yukiko took one look at the state of his weapons and lightly chided him. “I have told you many times to visit before they get into this state. The charms have almost completely worn off,” she frowned.

“But they aren’t worn off,” Yosuke argued. “This time at least…”

Yukiko gave him a stern look, and Yosuke gave her a bashful grin. “Uh, sorry?” he said, and she let out a sigh.

“Come with me. I will get you some tea while I work,” she said in her most disappointed tone of voice. Yosuke winced as he followed her, marveling at how much more effective Yukiko was at making him feel guilty than Chie. Once they were settled, Yosuke sipped at his green tea while Yukiko worked at blessing his weapons and getting him set up with more talismans.

“So, how did dinner go last night?” she finally asked, causing Yosuke to choke on his tea.

Although she was focused on the task at hand, Yosuke could tell she was amused at his expense. “I already told Chie. We had sushi. I thanked him for tutoring Teddie. That’s all it was.” His protests were honestly weak to his own ears, but it didn’t stop Yosuke from trying.

“Hmmmm,” Yukiko hummed. “And when will you be joining him for dinner again?” she prodded.

Yosuke was speechless for a moment, and a blush suddenly spread across his cheeks. Yukiko glanced up at him knowingly. “Oh? You’re not denying it,” she pointed out.

“I mean… He kind of asked me… It’s not what you’re thinking!” Yosuke protested. “He said he wanted to thank me for my service or whatever…”

Yukiko giggled at that, while Yosuke did his best to refocus his attention on the remainder of his tea. He was well aware of how obvious of an excuse it was and how he had played into the other man’s hands by failing to acknowledge it. If he was being honest with himself, he was looking forward to dinner with him again though which is why he had let it slide. Yukiko refrained from teasing him anymore, although Yosuke knew she would be letting Chie know about the tidbit of information he had let slip and that he would be hearing it from her later.

Not too long afterward, Yukiko was finished with her task and handed his weapons back to him. “Make sure not to go so long without visiting me again,” she tutted at him, and when Yosuke reached for his wallet she shot him another glare.

“Look, I just want to pay you one time for your services,” Yosuke complained and Yukiko snorted in reply. It was one of her few, unladylike habits and one of the things that made her so endearing to her girlfriend. The other was her awful sense of humor.

“You pay me back by keeping yourself safe,” she replied. “I don’t know what Chie would do if something happened to you…” She was being completely sincere, which is why Yosuke never pressed the payment issue. He had been on the opposite end of that scenario not that long ago and it still haunted him.

“Got it,” he replied, before packing up his weapons again. Yukiko did a formal bow toward him and Yosuke quickly returned a short bow, always finding it endearing how Yukiko stuck to her traditions even when it was just the two of them. She was always serious about her family business, both the regular ceremonial aspects and shrine upkeep, and the services they provided to vampire hunters.

“You should join us for dinner tomorrow,” Yukiko added as she gracefully stood, and Yosuke shot her a look.

“As long as neither of you are cooking…” he said nervously, and Yukiko flicked her head in annoyance, causing her long ponytail to swish behind her.

“We are going to be eating out, but you shouldn’t turn down a home cooked meal, Yosuke,” she said in a threatening voice. Yosuke had been almost poisoned by their cooking too many times to care. At this point he was more worried about self-preservation.

Their conversation was interrupted as a third party arrived, almost appearing to melt out of the shadows. Yosuke was startled to realize that he recognized him. “Yu? What are you doing here?” he asked in surprise, and the gray-haired man also appeared taken aback.

“Yosuke?” he asked, his eyes glancing to look at his bag. Yosuke nervously shifted it on his shoulder, although there was no way the other man could know what was inside. “I am here to pick up a scroll that the Amagi family is kindly lending us for our upcoming series on Shintoism,” he explained.

Yukiko was watching their exchange with rapt attention, and when they weren’t paying attention, she snapped a picture of the two of them in order to share with Chie later. “I was not aware you were both acquainted?” she interrupted, causing Yosuke to flush again.

“Ah, right, Yu is my neighbor,” he quickly explained, not liking the happy gleam that appeared in his friend’s eyes. He narrowed his eyes at her and she pretended not to notice.

“So you are that charming neighbor we have been hearing so much about! Realizing that it is you I am no longer surprised,” she said with a laugh.

Yu smiled lightly before tilting his head at Yosuke. “Oh?” he asked, while Yosuke gritted his teeth.

“Listen, once they found out I was going out to eat with someone, they just kept pestering me with questions,” Yosuke quickly defended himself. He then noticed the subtle glance Yu was making between the two of them and the fact that while he seemed slightly amused he also appeared a bit troubled. Yosuke was sure most people couldn’t pick up the unease due to how understated the other man’s body language was, but even though he had only met him a few times now he was surprisingly quick to pick up on it.

“Ah, you’re probably curious as to why I’m here. Yukiko here is my partner’s girlfriend,” Yosuke explained. “Her family provides protection charms for the officers so I swing by sometimes to pick some up and catch up. I didn’t realize you would be acquainted with her as well, although I guess with how old this shrine is it’s not that surprising…”

“The Amagi family has entrusted the museum many times with artifacts from their shrine. We are very fortunate to have them work with us,” Yu replied smoothly. If Yosuke didn’t know better, he appeared to have perked up at Yosuke’s words.

“I will leave you two to your work then,” Yosuke replied. “Unfortunately, I have a long night ahead of me. I have a few case files to pour through.” He gave them a small wave before heading out, keen to get away from Yukiko’s knowing gaze with Yu right there. He could already imagine the line of questioning he would have to endure tomorrow.


	4. Can't Fight This Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yu figures out Yosuke's hidden profession and considers what it means for their growing relationship.

Yu’s eyes followed Yosuke as he walked away, his sharp night vision able to trail after him longer than possible for a human, before he turned his attention back to Yukiko. She had obviously been watching him, but the moment he turned his head she instead busied herself by neatly putting away the materials she had been using to make the talismans and blessings for Yosuke’s weapons. Yu recognized the material and the specific smell of incense that had wafted from Yosuke’s bag; there was no denying that they were the tools used by a vampire hunter. Yu’s heart sank for a moment at the thought, before he politely seated himself where Yosuke had been resting moments before as Yukiko went to get him fresh tea. She was always great at reading the mood and often left him to his thoughts when he visited instead of forcing him into idle chatter. He found he wouldn’t have minded some now to keep his thoughts from being gnawed by worry.

‘What if he’s prejudiced against vampires?’ Yu worried. Vampire hunters tended to be a mixed bag; while they were bound by law to only go after vampires who were a threat to humanity, many were under the belief all vampires were inherently a threat and were not shy about making those views known. Others had no problem working side by side with vampires and understood that just as with humans there were those that were good and those that were monsters. He somehow doubted that Yosuke fell into the former category with his friendly personality, but one never knew at first.

His worries were interrupted as a steaming cup of green tea was gently placed before him as Yukiko took a seat across from him. “Something troubling you?” she asked, tilting her head as she carefully examined him. Yukiko was pretty adept at reading even his mood and had picked up on his unease. She was able to expertly pour herself a cup as well, even though she didn’t take her eyes off of him.

“It’s one thing to know his occupation, and another to be faced with the knowledge that it is truly dangerous,” Yu replied smoothly. It wasn’t fully a lie – while he knew Yosuke was a detective, a job already dangerous in itself, the fact he was also a vampire hunter put him at even more risk. A protective feeling bubbled up inside of him, much to his surprise, especially in light of the fact he had just been worrying over the man’s opinion of vampires moments before.

“Yes, I worry about Yosuke quite often I’m afraid,” Yukiko replied. “After what happened to Chie he’s been working alone and he can sometimes be a little reckless. You should have seen how faded the charms were…” She then looked at him slyly before adding, “Maybe you can talk a little sense into him?” causing Yu’s brows to raise. “You are his neighbor after all and can see him at any time. Maybe if you remind him to come by more often he may actually listen.”

Yu couldn’t help but grin, relieved that his initial surprise upon seeing them together had been totally unfounded. “I can certainly try,” he replied, and Yukiko shot him a warm smile in return. She definitely seemed to view Yosuke like she would a brother, and based on the fact her girlfriend was his partner it wasn’t too surprising. He also felt some of his earlier negative thoughts slide away as Yukiko’s complaints suddenly reminded him about Yosuke’s character. Yosuke had been understandably cautious toward him at first when they had first met, but he hadn’t jumped to conclusions and had taken the time to investigate his intentions with his cousin. He was protective, but not unreasonable. Yu’s heart warmed at the thought and he took a sip of the tea. 

“Do you have the scroll prepared already?” he asked, and Yukiko nodded before gracefully standing up and walking over to where a plain, black box with an ornate, gold seal on the top was sitting on a low shelf. She picked it up before walking back over and setting it in front of him.

“I am surprised you are doing an exhibit that would include this particular part of the shrine’s history,” she commented as she sat back down across from him. Yu gently lifted up the lid to the box and peered inside to see a well-preserved scroll that was depicting a ritual the miko used to perform in order to protect the shrine from demons. Really, the ritual was anti-vampire, but back in the day those things were synonymous with each other. And based on what he had just encountered, it looked like the family was still tied to those roots.

“I find ancient rituals fascinating,” Yu replied before gently closing the lid back down. “When the director was floating ideas around for the next exhibit, I actually came up with the recommendation. It’s a little different and there are a surprising number of artifacts already in the archives that haven’t been displayed before that fit the theme.”

“I look forward to seeing it,” Yukiko replied.

“Your family’s scroll will be the centerpiece,” Yu added. “We will take good care of it and return it once the exhibit is over.” Yukiko bowed her head before seeing him off; it was time for her to be off for the evening and he didn’t want to hold her over any longer.

Yu gently picked up the box and carried it carefully out to his car, nestling it in the front seat beside him before heading into work. He took the box inside and stored it away in the archive which was temperature controlled to ensure it was kept in perfect condition until they pulled it out in a few days as they began setting up the exhibit. He then headed up to his office, used to the quiet of the museum with no one else there but him and the security guards when they made their rounds. He settled in at his desk, ready to work on some research, but he found himself instead distracted as his mind wandered back yet again to the detective.

Vampire hunting really was a dangerous job, and Yu couldn’t help but feel nervous for Yosuke. He was suddenly unsurprised by the times he smelled blood on the man when he returned home from work and wondered how many close calls he had encountered in the past. Yu remembered how carefully Yosuke had talked around some of his cases before and he leaned back in his chair. 

‘He works alone,’ Yu suddenly thought, remembering Yukiko’s words about her girlfriend’s injury. He felt his chest tighten for a moment trying to imagine the other man with his charming smile going one on one with a vampire. He knew exactly how dangerous that was and wondered how Yosuke managed to do it on a nightly basis. Not many had that ability; most hunters worked in pairs. It was a testament to Yosuke’s ability that he had managed on his own so far, but Yu couldn’t help but feel worried since so many vampire hunters die or at the very least retire at an early age due to the stress it put on the body.

Yu shook his head to clear his thoughts. He was only beginning to know Yosuke and he had honestly not seen his interactions with vampires or abilities in the field to judge. Yosuke had managed to get by at least a few years in his role, so Yu just needed to trust he would continue to do so. He settled back into work, answering emails before returning to his research and finishing up some of the verbiage they would be using for the exhibit. Once he had finally wrapped up with work in the early hours of the morning, he checked his watch before standing up with a stretch. He had been sitting at his desk for hours, which was the norm since he didn’t have to get up for breaks like humans would. The security guards always teased him for that, calling him the professor and saying he got way too caught up in his work. They had no idea how bad it actually was.

Yu headed out to his car, giving the guards a wave on his way out, before returning home before sunrise. When he arrived, he was surprised to see Teddie in the lobby, head down on a book as he dozed in the middle of studying. He walked over and gently shook him awake, causing Teddie to sit up with a start. “What time is it?” he asked, his voice a bit high pitched as he reached for his phone in a panic.

“5:00,” Yu replied with a bemused grin.

Teddie visibly relaxed before letting out a yawn. “I can’t believe I fell asleep,” he groaned.

“Pulling an all nighter?” Yu asked, and Teddie glumly nodded.

“I put off studying too long… Don’t let Yosuke know,” he quickly added.

Yu glanced at the time again. “It would probably be best if you got more rest before your exam,” he commented. “When is it?”

“It’s my second class,” Teddie replied.

“Do you really need to be in your first?” Yu asked conspiratorially, and Teddie’s eyes widened at the idea.

“No,” he replied. “I could probably skip it…”

“While I wouldn’t suggest making it a habit, I would recommend following that course of action today,” Yu gently prodded, and Teddie let out another yawn before sleepily nodding.

“Promise not to tell Yosuke?” he asked, and Yu nodded before helping him pack up his books. “Thanks!” Teddie said before making his way up the stairs, wanting to hide in his room before Yosuke got home.

Yu chuckled to himself before also heading up the stairs and heading into his apartment. He made sure all of his curtains were tightly drawn so no sunlight would enter his home before pouring himself a glass of wine and dropping in a blood tablet. He took a sip before stepping into the other room that he used as a study; he didn’t have a bedroom since he didn’t need one. It was lined with books he had collected over the years and he pulled out one he hadn’t read in awhile before settling down in a comfortable leather armchair in order to read before he started his daily meditation. It was a sleeplike state vampires fell into during the day that allowed them to bear their old method of burying themselves to avoid the sun; these days some vampires only followed the practice if their energy was low since there were other ways to block the sun and plenty of ways to stay amused in the daylight hours. Yu figured it would be a good way to re-structure his thoughts as he considered what a friendship with Yosuke would be like now that he was aware of his occupation. For now though, he was content to unwind after a long night of research.


	5. Don't Fear the Reaper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kanji comes to Yosuke with news that he may have found the vampire that had nearly killed Chie the year before. They both head out on the hunt to see if they can find him and put him to rest.

A few days after getting his weapons re-blessed, Yosuke was sitting at his desk looking over the case file that Naoto had asked for his help with. He had also gotten a copy of Adachi’s case through Naoto, even though the man had been reluctant to hand it over. He was comparing both cases and making notes about the similarities and differences in order to try to see if they could be linked. So far, the similarities were leaning toward linkage even if the victimology in both cases was quite different; it was just too much of a coincidence that with both cases the attacker brought the same kind of cord to tie up the victims, especially since that information had never been released to the public. He just wished he could do something about the investigation with the first victim since she was now refusing to talk or cooperate.

Yosuke’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock at his door. The door was open, so it was just out of courtesy to get his attention. Yosuke looked up to see Kanji standing in the doorway. Kanji always dressed more casually than the rest of the office since most of his work was undercover, and today he had on a t-shirt for a punk band, his leather jacket, and black ripped jeans. “You busy?” Kanji asked, and Yosuke closed the file he was looking at.

“Not really. Just working on something for Naoto. What’s up?” he asked.

Kanji stepped inside before closing the door behind him. He then set a folder down on the desk in front of Yosuke. “I found something I thought you may be interested in,” he said. He stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets while waiting for Yosuke to look at it. He appeared uncharacteristically tense, so Yosuke was cautious as he gingerly lifted open the case file. When he saw who it was for, however, his eyes widened.

“You found him?” Yosuke asked, looking up sharply at Kanji. “You really found him?”

“I think so,” Kanji replied. “My vampire contacts have started seein’ him pop up again and think he finally recovered his strength. You and Chie got him pretty good.”

Yosuke flipped through the pictures that had been taken from the vampire’s various haunts, and sure enough it looked exactly like him. Yamada Taro was a school teacher who had been reported as missing by the school when he hadn’t shown up to work. He had lived a normal, simple life and overall seemed like a good teacher and neighbor. His face had shown up on the local news and papers for a few days after his disappearance, and the police department had received some tips from people calling in to say they had seen him; most tips upon follow up had gone nowhere, due to the young man having a very plain, common appearance. However, a few leads had seemed promising…and then one day the case had landed on Yosuke’s and Chie’s desks. It turned out the man had disappeared because he had been attacked by a vampire, and due to not receiving any direction after he had turned, he had become the most dangerous kind – a fledgling with unmitigated bloodlust and no one to guide him. He had quickly devolved into a predator that stalked his victims at night and went into hiding during the day, and he had racked up a pretty high body count of victims in his short period of time. It was supposed to have been a relatively easy case – while fledglings were strong, they weren’t as skilled or used to their abilities as fully fledged vampires and were usually easier to deal with. Unfortunately, things don’t always end up as they should.

“Do you know where he is right now?” Yosuke asked, closing the case file and looking up at Kanji. Kanji had been carefully watching him as he read through the file and was now pretending to look at his phone.

“I have an idea of a few places he’s been hangin’ out at,” Kanji replied. “We can go scout them out tonight…” Kanji trailed off, and Yosuke narrowed his eyes.

“But?” he asked impatiently.

Kanji let out a sigh. “Are you ready for this sempai?” he finally asked. Yosuke felt a pinprick at his pride at the question, but held tightly to the feeling of irritation. Kanji was only looking out for him, and he knew it. Especially with what the outcome was last time. Besides, while Yosuke had been searching for the vampire non-stop since he had gotten away, he hadn’t ever really addressed what had happened; there had never been time between his and Chie’s recovery and getting back to work afterward. However, there was one thing Yosuke was certain of. This vampire was dangerous and needed to be taken care of. He had felt guilty every day since he had gotten away the first time.

“Yes,” Yosuke replied, eyes resolute. “I am.”

“Alright then,” Kanji said, sliding his phone into his pocket. “You gotta promise me somethin’ though.”

Yosuke was packing up his things and preparing for a night of hunting. “Hm?” he asked as he began strapping on his weapons.

“Take care of yourself, sempai,” Kanji said. “Don’t let him get to you.”

Yosuke paused, before glancing up at Kanji. The younger man had a serious look on his face. Kanji could often be dense about a lot of things, but he had always been pretty perceptive when it really mattered. “I won’t, don’t worry,” Yosuke replied, and he heard Kanji let out a sigh, indicating he didn’t fully believe him. It wasn’t like Yosuke was _planning_ on screwing things up, though. They had to make sure that people were going to be safe, especially with how quickly things had escalated before. Once Yosuke was ready, throwing on his own leather jacket over his button up shirt and dress pants, he followed Kanji out the door.

It was a chilly autumn night, and Yosuke very quickly zipped up his jacket, wondering at Kanji’s ability to manage with it open. Yosuke buried his mouth against the collar of his jacket and shoved his hands into his pockets. “So where to first?” he asked.

Kanji ended up leading Yosuke to some of the areas close to where Yamada had worked and lived. Yosuke always found it sad when the vampires who were fully maddened by bloodlust still somehow found attachment to their old lives that they no longer remembered. He shuddered to imagine what it must be like to lose all of that – attachments to friends and family and in Yamada’s case his students. The fact his haunts were so close to his old elementary school were also a concern to Yosuke; kids were easy targets and this area was popular for young families with a park nearby and the school playground. 

“He’s been spotted at the park and around the school a few times,” Kanji explained. “Nearly got a security guard but somethin’ spooked him an’ he ran off. Some of the people who work a night shift around here have said they felt like they were being followed or heard someone repeatin’ multiplication tables over and over…”

Yosuke felt a chill run up his spine at that. Yamada had been a math teacher and he specifically remembered during the fight with him how he had muttered multiplication tables over and over between periods of manic laughing. Yosuke and Kanji reached the playground outside of the school, and Yosuke couldn’t help but feel his adrenaline spike as he faced it. The place where he and Chie had encountered the vampire before had been a street that led up to the school – he could see the street entrance in the distance, lit up by a streetlight. His eyes trained on the street for several moments, until Kanji broke him out of his trance by tugging on his arm. “I got permission to check out the school first, see if he’s hidin’ in there,” he said.

Yosuke nodded, and they made their way through the quiet playground. It was overall very still, although with the wind blowing some of the playground equipment kept creaking which was keeping Yosuke on edge. Kanji didn’t seem as affected by it, though, and kept moving forward at a steady pace. They checked in with the security guard, flashing their badges and gaining permission to go inside; he had been expecting them and remembered the attacks from last year. “I hope you find the bastard,” he said, and Kanji and Yosuke had gave him a small nod before making their way inside.

If outside had been quiet, inside it was dead silent. There was the occasional sound of the wind blowing outside rattling the windows or making a low whistling sound, but inside the school itself there was nothing. As they explored the halls, checking for anywhere the vampire may be hiding, Yosuke found himself yet again falling into flashbacks of the last time he had been at the school. He and Chie had visited it a few times during the investigation, trying to gather clues about the “missing” man as they hunted him down. The last time they had been here had also been at night on the same day of their encounter with him.

As they were exploring the art room, creeping around the tables with guns drawn as Kanji checked the supply closet to clear it, there was a sudden crashing noise that caused Yosuke’s heart to leap into his throat. He quickly turned, gun trained in front of him, and felt relieved to see Kanji picking up the artist’s palette he had knocked over. “You scared the shit out of me,” Yosuke said, breathing a sigh of relief, while Kanji shrugged his shoulder.

“You sure you’re ok with this? We can stop now,” Kanji cautioned, and Yosuke shook his head.

“I’m fine,” he replied, and Kanji didn’t say anything in response.

“I guess the last place we gotta check is his old classroom,” he said. He and Yosuke exchanged glances before nodding and heading across the hall. The classroom looked different than what Yosuke had remembered; back then, it was still decorated in Yamada’s style, and now it had obviously been decorated by a different teacher. It was a little sad, knowing that all little traces of his former life were one by one taken away, although Yosuke remembered the other lives he had taken and how their mark on the world was also slowly diminished. It didn’t take long to clear the classroom – it appeared the vampire wasn’t at the school after all – and they soon headed back outside.

“Where do you wanna go next, sempai?” Kanji asked. “We can wander around close to the school or go to the park…”

Yosuke’s eyes trailed back to the street where they had encountered him last time, but he somehow felt it would be unlikely they would run into him there again. “Where did most people report they felt followed?” Yosuke asked. 

“The park,” Kanji replied, and Yosuke’s eyes narrowed as a thought popped into his head.

“Did anyone mention seeing disturbed earth at the park?” he asked, and Kanji tilted his head.

“Uuuuh, not sure about that one,” he replied, obviously not following Yosuke’s train of thought.

“I can almost bet on it,” Yosuke commented, hands on his hips. “Vampires will bury themselves in the ground when they need to regain strength. It’s possible he’s been here this whole time and we had no idea. We always assumed he went somewhere else when he got away.”

Kanji’s eyes widened. “I didn’ even think of that,” he said, slamming his fist into his other hand. “Damn, you can be smart sometimes.”

“Only sometimes?” Yosuke retorted, and Kanji grinned at him.

“Sometimes,” he repeated, and Yosuke elbowed him in reply. He knew it wouldn’t hurt Kanji who towered over him and was also all muscle. 

“What a way to show respect,” Yosuke grumbled as they began to make their way over to the park. He somehow felt relieved as they left the school and that ominous street behind them; even though they were probably heading toward the danger, he couldn’t help but feel more relaxed in a place not filled with terrible memories.

Once they reached the park, their guards were back up as they noted how many trees the vampire would be able to hide in. “Let’s stick close together,” Yosuke said, pulling his gun back out as he fell back into a defensive stance. He and Kanji were both holding their guns and their flashlights this time since the park was only sporadically lit; it was a shortcut for the locals through the surrounding residential area, and normally quite safe, which is why Yosuke figured so many people had reported encounters with Yamada even though it was pretty dark in some parts of the park.

“Keep your eye out for any sign of disturbed earth,” Yosuke directed, and Kanji nodded to show he understood. They both kept swiveling as they slowly moved through the park, ears trained for any sound of disturbance and eyes darting about for any sudden movement. Vampires were master hunters and could pop out at any time, sometimes surprising even the most veteran of hunters. After a few quiet, tense minutes, Kanji finally spoke.

“Sempai, is that what you were looking for?” he asked, pointing his flashlight toward a spot in a clearing across from them. Sure enough, there was an area that looked like it had been dug up recently without anyone bothering to try to flatten the earth back down.

“7x6 is 42. 7x7 is 49. 7x8 is ehehehehe.”

Yosuke’s blood ran cold and he immediately began swiveling around, shining his light in all the trees around him. Yamada’s voice sounded way too close for comfort, and the laugh was just as chilling as he remembered. “7x8, 7x8 ehehehehehehe…”

“Sempai, on your 6!” Kanji shouted, and Yosuke quickly swiveled, his flashlight highlighting Yamada’s bedraggled form as the vampire lunged at him. Yosuke fired off a shot, and the vampire quickly dodged out of the way before disappearing back into the trees with another bit of manic laughter.

Yosuke’s adrenaline was pumping, and he and Kanji quickly rushed out into the clearing so they would be more likely to see the vampire as he came after them. “Damn this guy is freaky,” Kanji said, sounding as nervous as Yosuke felt. The laughter had stopped, and the silence was somehow even more worrisome than the numbers and laughter had been. Yamada was still wearing the same clothes he had been in last time Yosuke had seen him, with tears in the same place they had been during the fight. They were also caked with dirt, which matched Yosuke’s theory he had been buried this whole time. It was like for Yamada, time had stopped after their last fight, and it was screwing with Yosuke’s head seeing him in basically the same condition he had left him in.

Suddenly, there was a crack of a branch to Yosuke’s left, and he and Kanji both turned as Yamada jumped from a nearby tree branch, yet again lunging for Yosuke. Yosuke wondered if the vampire somehow recognized him in all of his madness, and as Kanji readied his gun to fire another shot, Yosuke pulled out his dagger from his sleeve. Kanji fired, hitting Yamada in his arm, but the vampire was undeterred just as he had been the year before. He began laughing again, and Yosuke used his dagger to stave off the attack, pushing Yamada back and knocking Kanji out of the way as the vampire pivoted and tried to lunge at him instead. “Watch yourself – he has crazy fast reflexes. I think they’ve somehow gotten even better,” Yosuke cautioned, before jumping back as Yamada came at him again.

Yosuke was barely able to dodge each attack as Kanji sat up from where Yosuke had knocked him over, pulling out a blessed crossbow and a stake shaped into the size of a bolt. He held up the crossbow and aimed, holding steady as he waited for an opening.

“7x8 is 56,” Yamada said, voice suddenly deeper and eyes almost appearing to clear for a moment. He stared at Yosuke, gaze sharp and animalistic, and Yosuke was suddenly brought back to the last time he had fought Yamada and how he had pierced him with the same gaze before running away, leaving Chie’s body behind in a pool of blood. “7x9….7x9…ehehehehehe…”

Kanji used the brief respite to fire the crossbow and it hit Yamada clear in the shoulder, causing the vampire to wail in pain before clutching at the bolt. Although it was steadily burning his hand from the Amagi family’s blessing, he kept tugging until he yanked it out and tossed it on the ground. His eyes had grown hazy with bloodlust again, and Yosuke watched as the wound rapidly began to heal, much faster than it should have from the spell.

“Shit,” Yosuke said, scrambling back as Yamada began to slowly circle around him, fangs out as he eyed him hungrily. “Apparently sleeping in the dirt has made him a lot stronger. We gotta be careful.”

Kanji was also cursing, and he changed tactics, deciding to rush the vampire instead of staying on the defensive. Yamada danced away before swiping at Kanji with his sharp claws, getting a cut in and causing Kanji to wince in pain before quickly leaping back. “Watch yourself, Kanji,” Yosuke shouted, suddenly feeling worried. He and Chie had struggled against the vampire, and she had honestly been one of the best fighters in the force. Yosuke had a little more experience behind him, but the vampire also appeared to be stronger and faster than he had been before.

“7x9…” the vampire muttered before blending back into the shadows under the trees. “7x9, 7x9 is…ehehehehe.”

When Yosuke had faced him before, he and Chie had split up. Yosuke had been further down the street, investigating one of the neighborhoods, while Chie had stuck closer to the school. Chie had been surprised by an attack from the vampire and had thought to call him, Yosuke only hearing his name when he answered her call before the phone fell to the ground, allowing him to hear the sound of their scuffle and grunts along with Yamada’s manic laugh. Yosuke had rushed to her aid, and by the time he arrived Chie had already been bleeding pretty heavily from having to defend herself. She had gotten some hits in on Yamada as well, and the vampire had several bloody gashes that had taken longer to heal since he was just a fledgling. They hadn’t expected the fight to be so hard; Yamada was strong for a fledgling, and to this day Yosuke still wondered the caliber of the vampire who had turned him.

Yosuke had rushed to Chie’s aid, and they had fought back, Chie managing to hold her own in spite of her blood loss, and between the two of them they had finally started making progress in the fight. Yosuke had also gotten a few hits in although the vampire had gotten him a few good times as well, and eventually Yamada had sustained enough injuries that he had the sudden presence of mind to run. Yosuke had made to go after him, but at that very moment Chie had collapsed and he had needed to make the split decision to call for help and stay with her or go after him; he had chosen to stay by his partner’s side and Yamada had disappeared into the night. Yosuke knew he would have always chosen to help his partner, but a part of him felt guilty at letting Yamada get away. Yosuke wasn’t going to allow that to happen this time.

“Sempai!” Kanji shouted, breaking Yosuke from his thoughts. He saw Yamada rushing at him again, and Yosuke knew he wouldn’t have time to dodge this time. Yamada was moving too fast and was too close. Instead, Yosuke reached for the stake strapped to his leg and pulled it out, driving the stake into Yamada’s chest as the vampire lunged for him and dug his claws into Yosuke’s back, leaving deep, burning claw marks in their wake. Yosuke let out a cry of pain as Yamada’s fit of laughter devolved into a wail of agony.

“Kanji, hurry,” Yosuke gasped, and while Yamada was temporarily paralyzed by the stake, Kanji used his opportunity to cleanly cut Yamada’s head from his body. Yamada’s hands finally loosened from Yosuke’s back and he collapsed on the ground, wincing in pain as he kicked Yamada’s body off of him. Kanji pulled out some charms in order to speed up the process of the body turning to dust, and as the body rapidly deteriorated he said a small prayer for him.

He then turned his attention to Yosuke. “Where the hell was your head, Yosuke,” Kanji chastised, dropping the sempai for a change due to his agitation.

“I mean, it gave you an opening right?” Yosuke cheekily replied, and Kanji glared at him.

“Let me see your back,” he said, and Yosuke sat up, head swimming for a moment from the pain. Kanji sucked in his breath at seeing the deep scratches on Yosuke’s back, and he quickly pulled out his first aid kit from his bag.

“How bad is it?” Yosuke asked, realizing belatedly that he would probably have to finally get a new jacket; this one had managed to stay with him through his whole career and he would definitely miss it.

“Pretty bad,” Kanji said. “But I’ve definitely seen worse.”

He began cleaning the wounds as best as he could, before having Yosuke remove his jacket and shirt so he could wrap it with gauze. “We should probably get you to the hospital,” Kanji said, and Yosuke shook his head as he pulled his shirt and jacket back on over the dressing.

“Like you said, I’ve been through worse,” he said. “I’ve got some of that special Amagi ointment at home which will work wonders on the wound. I honestly don’t feel too bad – going to the hospital will just mean more paperwork and questions.” It was already hard enough reporting on their cases without a body; when actual injuries also had to be reported it was a nightmare. Yosuke would come up with an excuse for his wounds after getting some rest first.

Kanji stared him down, and Yosuke defiantly stared back. “I can make it an order, Kanji,” Yosuke threatened, and Kanji let out a deep sigh. Yosuke was the senior detective and got the ultimate say in what calls were made.

“Give me a call when you get home, sempai,” he said.

“You know what you can do for me though,” Yosuke said brightly. “You can write up the report for me this time. I definitely foresee my bed in my direct future.”

Kanji rubbed the back of his head in frustration. “Yeah, I can do that. Don’t forget to call me, got it?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Yosuke said, waving his hand as if doing so would get rid of Kanji’s concerns. He then began to gingerly make his way back home. At first, other than a slight stinging pain on his back from the scratches and the antiseptic Kanji had used to clean them, Yosuke hadn’t been feeling too bad. Just as he had thought, the wounds didn’t seem as bad as they looked, and he concerned himself more with what he would say to Teddie when he had him help clean them. It wasn’t until he was about halfway home that he began to realize something was off. The cuts began to feel like they were burning, and when he reached back to feel at his back, he drew his hand back to realize there was blood on it from the wound. Yosuke clenched his jaw – he knew Kanji had done a good job tightly binding them, so they shouldn’t still be bleeding that freely. His picked up his pace, realizing he needed to get to that cream which was specifically created to deal with vampire inflicted wounds since it both treated the infections they could sometimes cause and their ability to mess with the body’s ability to coagulate in order to stop blood flow.

When Yosuke finally spotted his apartment up ahead, he began to sway on his feet and realized his head was starting to feel really fuzzy. He forced himself to take more steps as he pulled out his phone to reach out to Teddie, but he never got a chance to hit the phone icon next to his cousin’s name. Yosuke’s body began to sway and his vision dimmed as his phone slipped from his shaking fingers. The last thing Yosuke noted as he collapsed into unconsciousness was a clean, fresh scent like fresh laundry that felt vaguely familiar to Yosuke, although he blacked out before he was able to piece together why.


	6. Vogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yu is returning home from Ai's fashion show when he encounters the troubling scent of blood.

Yu figured if he was being coerced into going to a fashion show, it may as well be for the Love by Ebihara collection. The thing about Ai’s shows that set them apart from other designers is she didn’t shy away from adding a touch of fun. Her music choices were lively and upbeat, and her models were encouraged to smile and have fun as they walked instead of being more reserved to keep focus on the clothes. Ai’s philosophy was that fashion should be readily accessible for all so she wanted to showcase what her clothes would look like in a real world setting with the models fitting the role of the target audience so anyone could see themselves in the outfit. 

And, of course, the model stealing the spotlight was Rise. As Rise strut down the runway, she flashed the audience her megawatt smile, sending winks and blowing kisses as people took pictures and videos with their phones. When she turned at the end of the runway, she did a twist before tossing her hair over her shoulder and looking back at the audience, almost like she was posing at the end of performing for a song. As she made her way back down, she spotted Yu and gave him an approving nod to show she was happy he came after all, like he somehow had a choice in the matter. Yu shook his head and watched until she made her exit from the runway, wondering what she would be popping out wearing next. 

Ai’s previous collections had been aimed more toward a preppy or popular girl style with outfits that had predicted upcoming trends in fashion. They had all sold well and established her brand. She was branching out with this one which had more casual pieces and mixed some punk and streetwear in with her usual style. And Rise and the other models were doing an amazing job showcasing how trendy and comfortable they were. Yu spotted Ai peeking out at the show from behind the stage, and with his sharp eyes he was able to make out the look of relief on her face as she saw the reactions of the audience. Ai always appeared confident in her designs, but it was still nerve-wracking to put on the show, no matter how many times you did it. Rise had two more outfit changes before the show wrapped up and all of the models walked back out in order to showcase the main collection while Ai gave a bit of background about the thought process behind the designs and thanked everyone for coming. Yu made sure to clap extra loudly once the main show was over to show his support for both of his friends.

Afterward, the VIP guests were ushered into the after party which was being held in another room in the venue. Yu walked in carrying two bouquets of flowers in order to congratulate both Rise and Ai for their hard work. He found himself a corner to stand in as he waited for Ai, the models, and everyone else such as the makeup artists and clothing coordinators who had made the show a success to join the party. Soon, the group of them arrived, eliciting a cheer from the crowd. Ai had another, more intimate speech for her special guests before everyone separated into different groups, milling about as they grabbed drinks and snacks. Yu took the opportunity to go over and meet with Ai and Rise who had stepped to the side to chat after Ai’s speech.

“You did a wonderful job,” Yu greeted, handing Ai her bouquet along with a quick hug. “I think this was your best collection yet.”

Ai was holding a glass of champagne and had flushed cheeks from all of the excitement so far that night. “Thank you,” she said, “I was a little worried since I changed things up from my usual style, but I was so happy with how it came out. I’m just glad others seem to feel the same way.”

“Of course they do. Your clothes were simply marvelous!” Rise said excitedly. “I will most def be getting that jumpsuit when it becomes available.”

Ai rolled her eyes. “I’ll just send you one. You know I always do,” she said. As thanks for Rise participating in her show every year, Ai always provided her with her favorite outfits. The jumpsuit was colorful and fun with a loud, graffiti design on it, and Rise had been excited to wear it during the show. It was a little different from what she normally wore, but she had pulled it off with gusto.

“Darling, do you not have a greeting for me?” Rise asked, pretending to pout as she turned to Yu. Yu gave her a blank stare and Rise rolled her eyes before holding her hands out for her bouquet. He leaned forward as he handed them to her so they could exchange a kiss to each cheek as a greeting. “Much better,” she said while breathing in the smell of the flowers. He always got her fragrant bouquets since it was her preference; Ai on the other hand always went for roses.

“What will you be up to this evening? Please tell me you’ll make the after party this time,” Rise said. “You can invite that neighbor of yours – I’m sure he would be delighted to see some celebrities.” Rise took a sip of her martini after she spoke, and Ai looked between the both of them.

“Neighbor?” she asked, looking intrigued by the bit of gossip.

“He’s just a friend. Also, I thought this was the after party?” Yu asked.

“No, the later after party. We’ll be going to our favorite club once this place closes up in a few hours,” Rise said. “We always ask you to come but you always turn us down… Maybe if your friend was invited…?”

“He’s working tonight,” Yu replied. “Besides, I wouldn’t want to overwhelm him. Which is the reason I never go myself.”

Ai shook her head. “You’re no fun, Narukami,” she tutted. “I am glad you came tonight though.” 

Yu smiled. “I would never miss your show,” he promised.

“Next time bring this neighbor of yours. I would love to see what the fuss is about,” Ai said, eyes shining with amusement. Yu blushed, and was unsure how to reply.

“See, he’s perfectly smitten,” Rise pointed out.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Yu replied, trying to appear nonchalant although he was failing miserably due to the fact he was still blushing. Both Ai and Rise grinned at him and he turned so he didn’t have to face them. “I do believe I shall be heading out now,” he said, looking at his watch. The crowd was finally starting to get to him and he wanted to head home and get some fresh air.

“Say hi to your friend for me,” Rise said. “You must introduce us sometime.” She smiled as Yu turned and narrowed his eyes at her before waving.

“He’s invited to my next show,” Ai agreed, completely enjoying Yu’s discomfort. She also gave a small wave while Yu sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

“You two never give up, do you,” he muttered. He then made his escape, trying his best to ignore their fit of laughter as he walked away. He headed out to get his car from valet before heading home, trying his best to keep his mind off of his friend’s teasing comments. Honestly, he was a little disappointed that night, since he hadn’t heard anything from the detective all evening. Usually even on work nights Yu would receive a few messages from Yosuke asking about his day or complaining about something he was encountering on a case, but so far that day he had been completely silent. Yu was startled to realize that he had gotten used to their daily text chats, and even though he was only missing it for one day, it was leaving him feeling lonely.

On top of that, Yu was starting to get a headache. He winced as oncoming headlights flashed in his eyes, causing his head to throb. Yu had forgotten to take one of his tablets at the event and he was starting to feel hunger pains. He rubbed his temple and mentally willed himself to hold out for just a little longer. He’d be home and be able to relax with a glass of wine doctored by a blood tablet, and read a nice book to try to get his mind off of his neighbor upstairs. Yu finally arrived home and parked his car in his designated spot, before stepping out and immediately being hit with a very distinct smell. Yu felt all of his senses suddenly come alive as he picked up on the coppery scent of blood coming from nearby. He closed his eyes and did his best to even out his breathing and to ignore the heady aroma. As he got hold of himself, he was struck by two things. One, that the smell of blood was fresh and heavy, indicating someone was bleeding and more than likely in serious trouble. Two…he knew someone who often came home with the scent of blood on him. 

Yu’s anxiety began to rise and his head shot up while he scanned for the source of the aroma. Right near the door to the apartment, his eyes fell on the one person he had been hoping not to see. Yosuke was wavering on his feet and looked like he had been in a rough fight, with cuts and bruises on his skin and tears in his clothes. Yu could see that he had bandages wrapped under his tattered shirt and jacket that were bleeding through, and he began to feel sick. Yosuke looked like he was trying to call someone on his phone, but his hands were unsteady and it slipped from his fingers before falling to the floor. Time seemed to suddenly slow as Yu noticed the detective begin to also fall, and before Yu could even think he was suddenly by Yosuke’s side, catching him before he hit the ground and scooping him up into his arms bridal style. Yosuke had passed out and was pale from the blood loss, but he also appeared feverish, and Yu somehow had a feeling his wounds had gotten infected from whatever vampire had caused them. 

Yu normally avoided using his vampire abilities in his day to day life, preferring to live the mundane life and not wanting someone to see him and ask questions, so he was surprised he had acted on instinct and rushed to Yosuke’s side using his enhanced speed. He hadn’t run like that in quite awhile, but something about Yosuke seemed to bring out his protective instinct. Yu kneeled down to pick up Yosuke’s phone and slid it into his pocket before tapping into his speed again to rush upstairs to his apartment, arriving mere seconds later. He unlocked the door and lay him gently on the couch, before heading to the other room to grab his first aid kit and a salve he kept on hand just in case. It helped fight the infection sometimes caused by vampire claws and was effective on both vampires and humans. Although vampires usually healed quickly and could naturally stave off the infection, if they received too many injuries or their energy was low, they could take a longer time to recover and sometimes need medical supplies like humans. Plus, Yu always felt it was good to be prepared for any potential scenario.

He headed back to his living room and kneeled by Yosuke, frowning when he noticed the grimace of pain on the detective’s face. Yu’s hand hovered over Yosuke’s head for a moment, and he felt the sudden urge to try to soothe his hair, but he knew that the more important thing was to treat his wounds. He carefully pulled off Yosuke’s jacket, handling it with care in spite of the fact it was ruined since he could tell he had an attachment to it due to seeing him with it on quite often. He took less care with the shirt that would definitely have to be tossed based on the amount of blood that had soaked through it. The bandages had been tightly bound, but Yu could tell by how inflamed the edges of the scratches on his back looked through the bandages that they were definitely infected which was stopping the blood from coagulating properly. Yu quickly cut the bandages off, finding himself distracted for a moment from the overwhelming smell of blood that washed over him, before gritting his teeth and getting to work trying to clean some of it off using the bowl of hot water and rag he had gathered. Yosuke had a very nice back, with toned muscle and lithe shoulders, but Yu was concerned by the number of scars he saw dotted across his skin. This definitely wasn’t his first close encounter – in fact, there was another scar that wasn’t that old that looked like it had been serious as well.

Yu’s finger traced the outline of the old scar for a moment as he wondered what had happened to Yosuke that night and what had caused his serious injury this night as well. ‘Why were you alone?’ he wondered as he pulled his hand away from the scar and pulled out the jar of salve. As he began to apply it to the wound, he watched as the tension in Yosuke’s back slowly diminished as the cooling sensation from the salve soothed the fiery wound. The salve would both clear the infection and allow the blood to coagulate, along with stopping the burning sensation the detective had no doubt been experiencing. He then used fresh gauze to wrap up Yosuke’s wounds, before grabbing a blanket he occasionally used to nap on the couch and draping it over Yosuke, figuring he would start to feel cold with his fever. He then moved to clean up his mess before pouring himself a drink and plopping in a blood tablet, knocking it back and downing it in one go in order to steady his nerves and get control over his hunger.

He walked back into the living room and plopped on the floor next to the couch, leaning back against it while looking back at Yosuke. He was breathing more evenly now and his expression had finally softened. He looked relaxed and peaceful, although he was still pale. He looked so frail, and Yu felt his stomach tighten for a moment. Yosuke would probably take awhile to recover from an injury like that, and it would leave deeper scars than the ones he had caught a glimpse of on his back. Yu frowned before looking at his hands, pondering his options. He didn’t want Yosuke to suffer more than he had already… Yu bit his lip. He could share some of his blood with Yosuke. Vampire blood would help speed up the healing process and also gave humans a temporary boost of the senses, speed, and strength. It wasn’t harmful and the boost would go away after a few hours or days depending on how much blood was given. The only way a human turned is if vampire blood was in their system when they died. 

On the one hand, Yosuke was a vampire hunter and may be suspicious if he healed too quickly. On the other… Yu reached out and finally soothed Yosuke’s hair, pulling it away from his face and out of his eyes. Yosuke instinctively leaned into the touch, and Yu frowned when he realized how warm he still was. That decided it for him. Yu brought his wrist up to his lips and bit down, causing some droplets of blood to slide down before dangling his wrist over Yosuke’s lips, using his other hand to pull down lightly on his jaw, opening his mouth. He then allowed a few drops of blood to fall into Yosuke’s mouth, and ensured that Yosuke ingested it before closing it again. As he wiped away the blood from his now blemish free wrist, he watched as Yosuke’s color began to return to normal. His fever should dissolve pretty quickly, and he no longer looked as pale. Yu felt satisfied and pulled out his phone, texting Teddie to let him know Yosuke was with him and passed out on his couch so he wouldn’t grow worried that his cousin hadn’t returned home. He then settled in for a long night taking care of the detective, for while the danger had passed he didn’t want to leave his side while he was in this condition. Yu leaned back against the couch again and closed his eyes, taking in the detective’s fresh scent mixed with the smell of the salve and lingering hints of blood. He tuned in his ears to the sound of Yosuke’s breathing and heartbeat and used it to allow him to slip into a meditative state so he could keep his focus on any minute change in the detective just in case. Yu would make sure for at least tonight, Yosuke was protected and would be taken care of.


	7. King of Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yosuke wakes up and is relieved to discover he was rescued by his neighbor the night before.

“6x7 is…ehehehehehe…” All Yosuke heard over and over again was the chanting of multiplication tables, followed by an eerie laugh that he couldn’t get away from. “6x7…6x7…” Yosuke had been wandering in the dark, the voice surrounding him, everywhere and yet nowhere at once. However, he finally spotted a light ahead from what appeared to be a streetlight, and he gratefully made his way toward it, hoping that the light would help him identify the voice. Yet, as he drew closer to the light an uneasy feeling settled in his heart as he noticed there seemed to be something under it. As he headed toward it, he realized that there was a person laying on the ground and the area around them was dark. Yosuke’s heart began to race as he picked up his pace, and as he drew ever closer the voice began to speak faster and faster with his laughter ringing in his ears. That person…Yosuke knew that person, he recognized her. It…it was Chie! And as Yosuke finally reached her he realized she was lying in a pool of blood.

“No!” Yosuke shouted before his eyes flew open, the manic laughter dying away as he regained consciousness. Yosuke was lying on his stomach on what appeared to be a leather couch, and he was sweating from how hot it had gotten while sleeping on it.

‘Where am I?’ he wondered, blinking as his eyes tried to adjust to the dark. It was pitch black in the room, and as Yosuke slowly sat up, wincing at how itchy and painful his back felt, he tried to think over who he knew with a leather couch. The blanket that had been placed over him fell from his shoulders and slid on the floor as he tried to take in his surroundings. Yosuke slowly began to remember the events of last night, how he and Kanji had tracked down Yamada, the flashbacks to the last time he had encountered him, the difficult fight…and then pain. Yosuke’s mind was beginning to clear as he woke up, and he suddenly remembered being outside of his apartment before blacking out. That finally jogged his memory – he did know a person with a leather couch.

‘This must be Yu’s place,’ he realized, feeling relieved. Yu must have found him collapsed outside and brought him in. Yosuke realized how incredibly lucky he was and let out a deep breath. His eyes were now acclimated to the dark and he began to recognize the furniture from his other visit to Yu’s apartment. Yosuke then realized that he was shirtless, and he brought a hand up to his chest, feeling the outline of the bandages Yu had undoubtedly wrapped him in last night. The ones Kanji had used definitely had soaked through; Yosuke couldn’t even imagine what a mess he probably looked like last night.

Fortunately, while he was sore and while his back was itchy, no doubt due to the wounds scabbing over, he didn’t feel as dizzy as he had the night before. Yosuke picked up on the smell of food wafting in from the other room, and he felt his stomach growl, causing Yosuke to remember that he hadn’t eaten anything since before leaving for work the night before. Yosuke stood up with a grimace, his back jolting in pain from the movement, and he began slowly hobbling toward the hallway. He could see light streaming down the hall, and he had a vague sense of déjà vu, like he had seen something similar recently. Hazy memories of a dream he had been having fluttered through his mind before thankfully disappearing again.

Yosuke slowly made his way down the hallway, wincing as the skin around his scabbed cuts pulled from the effort, while hoping that they didn’t re-open. The smell of food was growing stronger, and Yosuke could hear the sound of the food sizzling in a pan. He finally stepped into the kitchen area, panting slightly as he leaned against the doorway, while taking in the sight of Yu standing in front of the stove, wearing a black apron on over his navy blue long sleeve shirt that he had rolled up the sleeves on and white slacks. Yu turned his head to look at him, and Yosuke noticed a flicker of annoyance cross his face.

“You shouldn’t be up,” Yu admonished, before turning down the heat on the egg scramble he was working on. He stepped away from the stove and approached Yosuke, reaching forward to place his hand on Yosuke’s forehead. Yosuke was a little surprised by the forward action, but Yu didn’t seem to care or notice. “Feels like your fever broke,” Yu murmured, his hand cool and pleasant against Yosuke’s skin. When Yu drew his hand away, Yosuke felt disappointed at the loss of contact, although he did his best to hide it.

“I couldn’t help but be drawn in by the amazing smell of food,” Yosuke said. “I’m feeling pretty famished.”

“Let’s get you resting first,” Yu replied. “Then I’ll bring you food.” He offered Yosuke his arm in order to help steady him as he carefully brought him back down the hall, before flipping the light on in the living room. Yu helped settle Yosuke back on the couch before returning to the kitchen to plate his breakfast. Yu drew up a chair next to Yosuke and used a spoon to scoop up some of the egg scramble, before holding it in front of Yosuke’s mouth.

“Wait, I can feed myself. You don’t have to…” Yosuke started to protest, but Yu held him with a steady stare while patiently holding the spoon.

“Are you going to eat or not?” he asked matter of fact, and Yosuke let out a sigh as his stomach growled again. He was too hungry to deal with this. He merely opened his mouth, trying to ignore how Yu’s warm smile at his compliance caused butterflies to form in his stomach. As he took his first bite, his eyes widened in amazement. He quickly chewed and swallowed before reaching forward to place his hands on Yu’s shoulders.

“I know you said you’re a curator, but are you sure you’re not a chef as well?” he asked, causing Yu to chuckle in amusement.

“I assure you, I am not,” he said, loading up another spoonful. Yosuke ate it willingly this time, eyes closing over how soft and buttery the eggs were.

“How on earth did you get your eggs to taste like this?” he asked, eyes opening as he stared at Yu in awe.

“Practice,” Yu replied, before offering another bite. It didn’t take long for Yosuke to finish the whole plate, hungry as he was, and Yu soon disappeared back into the kitchen to rinse it off. He returned with a glass of water and some ibuprofen to help with some of the swelling Yosuke was feeling from his injuries.

“Oh, shit, I never called Kanji last night,” Yosuke realized, reaching for his phone which was usually in his pocket before panicking and realizing it wasn’t there. Moments later it was thrust in front of him, and Yosuke winced as he saw the cracked screen. He gingerly took it from Yu’s hands and tried to power it on, but realized either the battery was dead or the phone had been damaged when it fell.

“I messaged Teddie for you to let him know you were here last night,” Yu explained, and Yosuke relaxed.

“Oh, good, then Kanji probably reached out to him to check on me and Ted would have let him know,” Yosuke replied.

“What exactly happened last night?” Yu asked, leaning back in his chair as he studied Yosuke. Yosuke hesitated, and tried to piece together how to explain it without letting anything slip. He figured Yu deserved to know at least some of the truth after taking care of him last night.

“I think I mentioned to you that I have a partner who’s been on light duty for awhile, right?” Yosuke asked, and Yu nodded. Yosuke had mentioned Chie a few times, and he had discovered she was Yukiko’s girlfriend when they bumped into each other at the Amagi shrine. “Well, the reason why she’s on light duty is because last year we were chasing down a murder suspect and got split up. She went one on one against the guy and although she’s a strong fighter, he had a ridiculous amount of strength and gave her a hard time. By the time I arrived she was sporting some pretty heavy injuries, although she had given him a few as well.”

Yu’s eyes stayed trained on Yosuke’s face as he talked, and Yosuke could only imagine he was picking up on every bit of emotion that crossed his face as he yet again found his mind transported back to that night. “Eventually we started to get the upper hand, but right when things were looking in our favor, Chie collapsed from blood loss from her wounds. The suspect made his escape and I had the choice to stay with her or go after him, and I choose to stay with my partner,” Yosuke explained. “But…I still regretted letting him go because that meant he had the opportunity to harm other people.”

Yosuke looked down, a shadowed look crossing his face, before spotting the blanket that had fallen to the ground. He suddenly remembered he was shirtless and blushed before drawing the blanket back over his shoulders. “You made the right decision,” Yu said quietly, and Yosuke looked up. Yu was giving him a gentle, encouraging look, and Yosuke took a deep breath before continuing his story.

“Kanji – Detective Tatsumi – he’s another detective who works in our division. He came to me last night with news that he had found the guy. I’ve been looking for him ever since, trying to find him so we could get him off the streets and make sure he could never harm another person. We hadn’t seen any signs of him since he had disappeared, so I jumped at the news. We checked out his old hunting grounds and the places people had been spotting him since he resurfaced and finally ran into him again. Just like last time, the fight was difficult, and at one point I let my guard down enough where he got an opening.” Yosuke reached down to place his hand on the bandage wrapped around his torso. “Since I didn’t have time to get out of the way, I used the attack as an opportunity and when he was slicing up my back, I had Kanji take him down. He will no longer threaten the streets of Tokyo.”

Yosuke was resolute in his words, but there was a heaviness to them as well. Yosuke was glad that Yamada could never hurt another person again, but he still felt for him and was sure he had been turned against his will. “Kanji cleaned up the injury for me and bound the wound – I thought I would be able to get home alright and take care of it myself but I misjudged it… Thanks for taking care of me last night.” Yosuke bowed his head at Yu, before glancing up to see his face. Yu had been quiet during his story, and Yosuke was having trouble reading his expression. His neighbor had a great poker face. However, he seemed willing to give his opinion now.

“You need to take better care of yourself,” Yu said with a sigh. “You have friends and family that would be devastated if something happened to you. Just imagine how Teddie would have felt seeing you in the condition you were last night.”

“Yeah…I know…” Yosuke replied, guilt eating at him. Yu looked like he wanted to say something else as well, but he refrained. Instead, he placed a hand on Yosuke’s blanket covered shoulder and gently squeezed.

“Still, it’s brave of you to go after someone dangerous like that and to put your life on the line to protect others. Not many people can do what you did,” he said. “I hope that you take the time to fully recover before going back into the line of duty again. I would be worried about you in your current condition.”

“Oh, trust me, I’ll have no choice,” Yosuke said with a sigh. “I’ll probably be out for a week at least… Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to be as bad as it felt last night.” An imperceptible flicker crossed Yu’s face at his comment, but Yosuke didn’t notice since he was taking a sip of water at the time. “I do, however, owe you another dinner after you saved my ass last night.”

“You don’t owe me anything,” Yu protested. “I was happy to help. Besides, I was supposed to be the one to get your dinner this time.”

Yosuke put on his best puppy dog face, eyes begging as he stared Yu down, and the other man eventually caved. “Well…while I was more than happy to take care of you last night, I would quite enjoy spending time with you again…”

Yosuke let out a bright smile. “Good! I’ll definitely pick out a place that you’ll enjoy. I can’t wait!”

Yu couldn’t help but lightly smile at his enthusiasm before shaking his head. “Oh, I have your jacket here. I’m going to get it dry cleaned and see if I can mend it,” Yu said, picking it up from where he had it draped on another chair. Yosuke grimaced when he saw the blood stains around the tears in the back where the vampire had sunk his claws into him.

“You really don’t have to. I’m pretty sure that jacket can’t be saved,” Yosuke said, his voice tinged with disappointment.

“I think I can make something work,” Yu replied. “I could tell how attached you are to it.”

“Well, if you do figure something out…then thanks. I do appreciate the thought,” Yosuke said, looking a little hopeful in spite of his words. “I do think I should be heading upstairs though. I’m sure Ted’s pretty worried at this point.”

“You sure?” Yu asked. He seemed reluctant to let Yosuke go, and appeared a little cagey. Yosuke figured it was just worry over his condition.

“Yeah,” Yosuke said. “Thanks again, for taking care of me and for breakfast. I’ve gotta see if I can get this phone to charge so I can report in to Kanji and figure out my leave…” Yu still seemed hesitant, and Yosuke teased, “Do you need to see me to my door or something?”

“No, but I would like to see if Teddie can come and fetch you,” Yu said, pulling out his phone. Yosuke quickly covered his hand and shook his head.

“I can make it just fine, trust me,” he said. “I’m already going to get an earful, let me get a few more precious moments of silence first.”

“If you’re sure…” Yu said, and Yosuke nodded. 

“I’ll message you later to get details about dinner,” he said, before sliding Yu’s blanket off his shoulders. He felt awkward walking shirtless and bandaged up to his apartment, but he really had no choice. He waved at Yu before opening his door and stepping outside, and then he slowly made his way up the stairs, leaning heavily on the rail as he went. The single flight of stairs felt like it took an eternity, and when he finally reached his door and moved to unlock it, Yosuke was breathing much more heavily than he would normally. Still, with how his injuries felt last night, it was a miracle he was even up and walking. Before he could finish opening his door, it was flown open to reveal Chie who glared at him until she noted the bandage wrapped around his torso and burst into angry tears.

“How could you be so reckless?” she asked, and Yosuke quickly stepped inside and closed the door behind them before putting a comforting arm around his best friend.

Chie wrapped her arms around him, careful to avoid the injury on his back, while sobbing into his shoulder. “Do you know how worried we’ve all been? Revenge against Yamada wasn’t worth risking your life!”

“I know, I’m sorry,” Yosuke said, suddenly feeling faint from all his exertion that morning. Chie noticed him suddenly sway on his feet, and she steadied him before leading him back to his room so he could lie down. “Where’s Ted?” Yosuke asked, realizing his cousin wasn’t there.

“He and Kanji went to buy you guys some groceries. Kanji took one look at your fridge and dragged him off to get you guys some fresh ingredients to ensure you ate something better than ramen noodles while you recover,” Chie explained.

“Kanji will be the one making it, right?” Yosuke asked nervously, and Chie smacked his arm. 

“You’re in no position to talk right now,” she huffed.

“I mean, you _want_ me to recover, right?” Yosuke asked, rubbing his arm while Chie glared at him. “Ok, ok, I won’t say anything more, yeesh…”

Chie was quiet for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh. “I’m just glad you’re ok. When Kanji messaged me that you were MIA and no one had heard from you, I feared the worst,” she said. “You have no idea how relieved we were to hear from Teddie that your neighbor had found you. You’re really lucky that it wasn’t worse.”

“Yeah, I know,” Yosuke said, rubbing the back of his head. “I really _am_ sorry, Chie. I didn’t mean to worry everyone and honestly didn’t realize it was that bad when I left last night…”

Chie frowned before crossing her arms. “Well…as much as I want to be mad at you. I get it. And probably would have done the same,” she admitted. “Also…thank you. I can honestly sleep a little better tonight knowing he’s not around.” Chie had experienced nightmares and trauma after her nearly fatal experience with Yamada, and Yosuke knew that it affected her more than she let on.

“Then it was worth it,” Yosuke said honestly, and Chie shook her head at him.

“Now it’s your time to see how much fun bed rest can be,” Chie said with a grin, and Yosuke let out a groan.

“Don’t remind me. This is going to be hell,” he complained.

“Yukiko and I will be sure to keep you company,” she said, and Yosuke prayed to every god out there that they didn’t try to make him something to eat in the process. Yosuke began to feel tired while he and Chie waited for Teddie and Kanji to return, and he ended up passing out again in the interim, with Chie keeping watch over him. She tucked in his sheets around him before resting in his computer chair, watching him sleep and secretly hoping that he recovered quickly. She knew that Yosuke hated being away from work just as much as she did and she didn’t want him to suffer longer than he had to, even though she was upset at him getting himself hurt. “Stupid Yosuke,” she muttered, a fond tone to her voice as she waited for the others to return.


	8. That's Amore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yu is invited the the Hanamura's apartment in order to help Teddie study while a bored and recovering Yosuke distracts them.

Yu was interrupted from watching his Sunday evening historical drama by the ding of his text message tone. He reached for his phone, expecting it to be Yosuke who had been keeping up a steady stream of text messages over the past few days after getting his phone replaced. The poor detective was obviously bored out of his mind and didn’t seem to know what to do with himself while on bedrest. Yu had overheard on many occasions the cousins bickering above him as Teddie tried to keep Yosuke from moving about since he was afraid he would reopen the scabbed wounds on his back; messaging Yu seemed to be the only thing keeping Yosuke sane in the meantime. To his surprise, however, it was Teddie who had messaged him and not Yosuke. “Sensei, I have a test tomorrow and could use your help,” Teddie had messaged, including his bear emoji that he used as a signature at the end of every text. “I really hate to bother you, but can you help?”

Yu paused his documentary before checking his watch – it was past sunset so he would be fine leaving his apartment. While Teddie had often come to study at his apartment, they just as often met up in the lobby so Yu wanted to ensure he had all of his bases covered. He sent Teddie a message back to let him know he was available before standing up and stretching while wondering which subject Teddie needed help with this time. Fortunately, Yu was well versed in all subjects – learning had always come easily to him and he had a knack for retaining it which meant he often got to entertain people with unexpected facts. It also helped that he had held many different professions over the years; with each “new” identity he tried his hand at something new in order to keep his mind fresh. Too many vampires grew tired with their long life and Yu didn’t want to lose his fascination with the world surrounding him.

His phone dinged again, and Yu unlocked it so he could see the message. “Come over when you’re ready sensei!” Yu blinked in surprise and tried his best to ignore the fact that his pulse raced in anticipation at the invitation. He had never been invited to the Hanamura’s apartment before, and he was suddenly curious to see what it would look like. More importantly…it also meant he would get to see Yosuke. Yu grabbed his keys and slid his phone into his pocket while feeling acutely aware of the fact he felt a little hot under the collar. He tried to regain control of himself as he slid on his shoes and headed upstairs, but instead he grew more and more flustered as he drew closer to his neighbor’s door. As he approached, his keen nose picked up on the familiar smell that the cousins shared of their home; it was a light and citrusy smell that they both shared and it had a calming effect on Yu. Thus, by the time he knocked on the door, he once again had himself under control.

The door flew open to reveal Teddie who was beaming at him. “Sensei, thank you for coming!” he said excitedly before waving him inside. He had slippers waiting for Yu to slide into before he led him to the living room where Yosuke was sprawled on the couch. Based on the smell, Teddie had just redressed Yosuke’s wounds and applied more ointment, and he was lying on his stomach while it worked its magic. Upon seeing him, however, Yosuke tried to sit up, until Teddie admonished him.

“You’re supposed to stay there for 30 minutes after the salve’s been applied,” Teddie snapped while pushing Yosuke back down onto the couch.

“I didn’t know you were inviting Yu over,” Yosuke grumbled. It was obvious he was embarrassed, but Yu was too busy being distracted by how much healthier Yosuke looked than the last time he had seen him to really pay attention. His color had returned to normal and many of his cuts and bruises had already faded away. 

“I can leave if you don’t want to see me,” Yu deadpanned, and a panicked expression crossed Yosuke’s face.

“That’s not what I meant, sheesh,” he said. “Please stay. I take it Teddie begged you over to help him study? You know if you hadn’t waited to study until the night before the exam you probably wouldn’t be in this boat…”

“I don’t want to hear that from you Mr. C Average,” Teddie sniffed.

“Hey, I did better in the academy!” Yosuke protested, turning red as Yu grinned at their antics. 

“Where would you like to set up?” Yu asked, changing the topic since he knew the cousins could continue bickering indefinitely. 

“We can study at the kitchen table,” Teddie said. The table was situated in the same space as the living room, and as Yu followed Teddie to the table he noted that Teddie sat with his back to the living room, which gave Yu who sat across from him a clear view to Yosuke on the couch. He had a feeling it was on purpose but didn’t comment. As Teddie pulled out his notes and textbook, Yu took in his surroundings. The apartment was surprisingly traditional in style – it appeared Yosuke had probably purchased a lot of furniture second hand since it seemed haphazard in style. He had definitely spent more money on the TV and sound system which looked brand new, and overall the apartment while a little cluttered with Yosuke’s collection of music and movies felt much homier than his own. “Ready sensei?” Teddie asked, and Yu nodded his head before looking at the textbook Teddie had open. Pre-cal it was.

While Yu patiently walked Teddie through how to graph and calculate a parabola, Yosuke turned on his music, making sure not to blast it so it wouldn’t be too distracting. Instead, he filled that role himself. “So how do you remember this stuff?” he interrupted. He had shifted on the couch so he could watch them study while still stretched out on his stomach. “Like I promptly forgot math after my business calculus class.”

“I have a good memory,” Yu replied. He tried to go back to explaining how to solve the equation to Teddie, but Yosuke apparently wasn’t finished.

“Still, it’s a miracle you’re able to not just remember that stuff but also explain it. I remember when Ted was in high school and tried to have me help with his summer homework and I had no clue how to help. And that was _high school_.”

Yu noted how Teddie was starting to appear frustrated and he set down his pencil before leveling Yosuke with a steady stare. Yosuke looked like he had been about to say something else, but he suddenly stopped. “I’m sorry…” he muttered, before burying his face in the couch pillow.

“If you give us 20 minutes of uninterrupted study, I will make you dinner,” Yu promised, and both cousins looked delighted at the idea.

“Really?” Yosuke asked as Teddie shouted out, “Seriously, sensei?!”

“Yes,” Yu replied. “You can hold out for 20 minutes, can’t you?”

“For sure, my lips are sealed, promise!” Yosuke said, before pulling out his phone and distracting himself with a mobile game.

“I can’t believe I get to try sensei’s cooking. Yosuke kept going on about how good it was,” Teddie said, obviously much more cheerful and motivated now that he knew there was a reward coming.

Yu glanced at Yosuke after Teddie’s confession, and noted that the tips of his ears turned red with embarrassment. “He did, did he?” Yu asked, still watching Yosuke.

“Yeah, he kept rubbing it in my face. He’s not very nice…” Teddie fake sniffed. They then returned back to their studies, and by the end of the 20 minutes Teddie had finally grasped the concept and was able to solve the practice problems on his own. “Thank you sensei!” Teddie said cheerfully as he began to put away his study materials. “I couldn’t have figured it out without you!”

“Where were you when _I_ was in school,” Yosuke asked in disbelief. “It took me weeks to figure that stuff out and you literally taught it in less than an hour.”

“I’m sure if you would have gone to a TA they would have helped,” Yu replied as he made his way into the kitchen to see what ingredients the Hanamuras had for him to work with. As he began to look through the fridge and the cabinets, he sensed Yosuke slowly get up from the couch before hobbling into the kitchen. He was definitely still nursing his back, although overall he was having less trouble than he had a few days ago.

“I tried that a few times, but honestly I was working to pay for school and didn’t often have time,” Yosuke admitted. “My parents helped but they could only afford to pay for so much.” Yosuke was standing pretty close to Yu who found himself naturally tuning in to the sound of Yosuke’s heartbeat again. It was comforting to know it was a steady rhythm; Yosuke really was recovering quite well from the ordeal. Yu felt a fleeting pang of guilt, remembering how he had reacted initially to the overwhelming smell of Yosuke’s blood and the fact it had been a vampire to cause his horrific injuries, but he did his best to tamp it down.

“I think that’s quite admirable,” Yu replied. He had technically never gone to college, although he had been a professor in one of his previous occupations. He had a brief moment wondering what it may have been like going to classes and holding study sessions with Yosuke, and he momentarily zoned out as he imagined it. The idea felt pretty cozy if he was being honest with himself.

“Earth to Yu,” Yosuke teased, and he finally snapped out of it.

“Sorry, was lost in thought for a moment. You don’t seem to have a whole lot to work with for dinner,” he frowned. Yu wouldn’t have anything in his apartment either; when he had made breakfast for Yosuke he had gone out to buy the ingredients in the early morning from the local convenience store before the sun had rose. 

“Well…we honestly have more than we usually do. Kanji stocked us up last time he came by,” Yosuke said. He looked a bit sheepish. “There’s really nothing you can make with what we have?”

“I didn’t say that,” Yu replied, voice slightly heated at the underlying challenge to Yosuke’s words. Due to Yu’s strong sense of smell, cooking was something he had been able to retain from his previous life, and he had honed his craft over the years even though he couldn’t enjoy the fruit of his labor. He enjoyed seeing others appreciate his food, however, which made it all worth it.

“I can definitely throw together a decent fried rice,” he decided. “I could probably pull off curry, but I’d rather you try my recipe for that.”

Yosuke blushed at the insinuation. “So, planning on feeding me again, hm?” he asked. While they both spoke, they failed to notice as Teddie slipped out of the room and into his bedroom in order to give them some time alone.

“Quite possibly. I do enjoy it when people brag about my food,” Yu replied as he began gathering together the ingredients he’d need.

“I didn’t brag _that_ much,” Yosuke protested. 

“Oh…” Yu replied, pulling a small frown. “I see.”

He heard Yosuke suck in his breath and it took everything in his power to keep up a poker face. “That’s not…I mean, yeah, I may have bragged a _little_…”

Yu allowed himself to look pleased, and Yosuke grumbled under his breath. Yu couldn’t help but find it endearing, and he had to hold back the urge to tease Yosuke even more. It was far too cute seeing him get flustered. As Yu began to cook, Yosuke kept leaning over his shoulder and invading his space in order to watch the process, and while a normal person would probably have found it annoying, Yu couldn’t help but enjoy the closeness. “I don’t know how you’re able to get your vegetables to cut so uniform. Every time I try they always end up uneven…” Yosuke sighed.

“You want to give it a try?” Yu asked, and Yosuke quickly shook his head.

“I’m being serious when I say I suck at it,” he replied.

“The only way to get better is with practice,” Yu explained. “When I first started cooking, my cuts were uneven as well.” That had been a long time ago, but Yosuke didn’t need to know that.

“I somehow can’t imagine that,” Yosuke replied with a small laugh. “You seem to be perfect at everything.”

“I’ve had a lot of time to practice,” Yu replied. “Trust me, I’m not perfect at everything.”

“Sounds like something someone who is perfect would say!” Yosuke joked. “I guess it’s my job to investigate and uncover what you’re not perfect at, huh?” Yosuke was watching Yu expectantly as he spoke, and to the vampire’s surprise he suddenly felt a bit shy. The idea of Yosuke paying him extra attention was…nice.

“I wonder what you’ll discover?” he instead replied, as he began to cook the onions and garlic before adding the other veggies. Not long after, he added the chicken, and to his amusement Yosuke crowded over his shoulder while unconsciously resting his chin on it as he watched with fascination.

“How do you do that flip thing with the skillet?” he asked. “I always see chefs do it but I’m always afraid I’ll spill it everywhere.” Yu opened his mouth, and Yosuke quickly interrupted, “I know, I know, practice right?” he asked, and Yu chuckled.

“You’re catching on,” he said. He then added the rice and different sauces to give it flavor. The apartment was beginning to permeate with the smell of food, which finally drew Teddie back out of his room.

“Ooooh, Yosuke, trying to score with sensei?” he asked, and to Yu’s disappointment Yosuke quickly jerked away.

“Of course not! Jeeze, you dumb bear…” Yosuke grumbled. “Help me set the table…”

“I’ll set the table, you just go sit,” Teddie demanded, ushering Yosuke to go sit down while he began to grab plates and chopsticks for everyone.

“Ah, no need to get me a plate,” Yu said. “I had a late lunch. So please, both of you enjoy.”

“Are you sure?” Yosuke asked. “Man, I feel bad if you cooked for us and aren’t even going to join in…”

“I’m sure,” Yu insisted as he plated both of their food. “It makes me happy seeing others enjoy my food. Not your faults that I’m not hungry.”

Both cousins looked a little guilty…that is until they took their first bite. “Wow, Yosuke wasn’t kidding,” Teddie said with a gasp. He then turned to Yosuke. “You should snap sensei up while you have a chance,” he said, while the detective flushed bright red and smacked his cousin.

“Seriously, Ted, what have I told you about blurting stuff like that out?” he hissed. “Yu, I’m sorry, he doesn’t always think before he speaks.”

“Oh, like you do?” Teddie replied with a huff before taking another large bite of fried rice.

“So, you’re saying you don’t want to snap me up?” Yu replied, pretending to look offended.

Yosuke began cursing under his breath while dramatically burying his face on the table, and Teddie began to laugh at him. Yu good naturedly ruffled Yosuke’s hair before saying half-truthfully, “I’m just kidding.”

“Look, anyone would be lucky to snap you up, ok? I’m not sure why anyone hasn’t to be honest. Unless…I mean, I’ve just _assumed_ but just because I haven’t heard about anyone…” Yosuke began to babble. 

Yu quickly cut him off. “I am quite available,” he assured Yosuke.

“Oh, good. I mean…good to know. Uh,” Yosuke cursed again before quickly taking another bite of food so he could stop stumbling for words for a moment. “God I feel like such an idiot…” he grumbled after he finished with his bite.

Teddie looked quite amused by the topic, while Yu tried his best to tamper down the optimistic feelings bubbling up over how flustered Yosuke was being. ‘He’s a vampire hunter, you’re a vampire,’ he firmly reminded himself. Sure, being friends seemed to be going well so far, but he still wasn’t sure what Yosuke’s feelings about vampires was, and honestly after hearing about how his partner nearly lost her life and seeing how badly Yosuke himself had been injured after an encounter, Yu wouldn’t be surprised if Yosuke held a grudge against them.

“Ah, when did you want to do dinner?” Yosuke asked, interrupted Yu’s muddled thoughts. “I should be healed enough soon to return to work. It’ll be desk duty but that’s better than sitting around here at least…”

“What day do you go back?” Yu asked. “We should go eat that day to celebrate.”

“Hm, that’s not a bad idea. It’ll be sometime next week – I have to get a checkup first so I can be cleared to return to work,” Yosuke explained. “Once the date’s confirmed I’ll let you know!”

“Sounds like a plan,” Yu replied. He ended up spending even more time with both cousins after dinner, and he couldn’t help but be struck by how natural it felt to sit with them while Yosuke’s music played in the background as he chatted with them and was amused by their antics. It had been awhile since Yu had felt this comfortable with someone outside of Rise, and while there was a small part of him that was a little afraid to grow so attached, the overwhelming side of him relished it.

When Yu noticed how late it was getting and remembered that Teddie had a test the next day, he finally made the decision to excuse himself. Yosuke got up to see him to the door, even though Yu tried to protest and say he didn’t have to get up. “What kind of guy would I be if I didn’t see our guest out?” Yosuke insisted, even though he looked uncomfortable as he followed Yu to the door. Teddie would probably be applying some more of the salve before they headed to bed. “Thank you for coming to help Ted,” Yosuke murmured as Yu switched back to his shoes. “Seriously. It means a lot to me that you take the time to help him out. He was struggling a lot when he first started college and I know it’s cutting into your free time to help him.”

“It’s not a problem,” Yu replied. “I’m happy to help. Especially when I also get a chance to see you.”

He watched the surprise flicker across Yosuke’s face, before he sheepishly looked down. “Teasing me again, I see,” he sighed.

“I assure you, I’m being very serious,” Yu replied. “I’m looking forward to seeing where you take me to dinner this time.”

“Well, I’ll be sure not to disappoint,” Yosuke said, trying to sound confident although Yu could tell he was feeling shy. “Also, feel free to visit whenever. You don’t need to use tutoring Teddie as an excuse.” He gave Yu a wink before waving him out the door, and as the door closed Yu could tell he looked quite satisfied to have one upped Yu right at the end. Yu’s heart was beating unsteadily at Yosuke’s unexpected comment, and it took everything in Yu’s power to head back downstairs instead of turning around to let Yosuke know _exactly_ how he felt about his flirty remark. 

‘Get it together Narukami,’ he told himself as he returned to his apartment, suddenly feeling lonely now that he was no longer in his neighbor’s presence. He sighed before running his hand through his hair, his thoughts and emotions a jumbled mess. ‘Maybe mediation will help,’ he thought. It usually gave him clarity and helped him set his priorities straight, although he couldn’t remember a time when he had been quite this much at war with himself before. He also couldn’t help but look forward to dinner, even though he knew he really should be treading carefully when it came to his relationship with the detective. Deep down inside, he didn’t want to, in spite of the danger. The detective really was having an effect on him.


	9. Feels Like the First Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yosuke takes Yu out to dinner at his favorite izakaya after finally returning to work.

Yosuke’s first day back at work had been rough. Having to wake up early to work day shift had been awful – even though he had been trying to acclimate himself to his earlier schedule in the days leading up to it, he had struggled to go to bed earlier and wake up at an appropriate time. It also sucked because he didn’t have his usual friends to keep him company throughout the day since they worked the night shift which left him forced with nothing but paperwork to keep him company. And even in his tired and irritable state which made it hard to focus, he still had it all finished before lunch which left him bored for the rest of the afternoon. It didn’t help that his back was still itchy as the remnants of his scabs healed up which made sitting all day pretty uncomfortable.

It was even worse in the afternoon as he watched the clock tick by while anticipating his outing with Yu after work. He had struggled to come up with a place to take Yu; nothing seemed special enough and he had found his mind wandering to a particular location but had felt embarrassed about it. It was a location he had discovered back in college, and while it was really more a bar than an actual restaurant, he felt comfortable there. He had always planned on bringing his girlfriends there in the past to share a place that was special to him, but the relationships had always ended before he had a chance to. For some reason, his heart insisted on bringing Yu there now, and his resistance had finally faded away. He had no better ideas, and now he felt worried over whether or not Yu would like it. That made the wait even more agonizing.

Finally, the clock hit five, and Yosuke stood up before sliding on an olive green corduroy jacket that he was using since he no longer had his leather one. He hastily made his way out of the office, glad to finally be finished for the day; he couldn’t wait until he was allowed to be back on his regular shift again. Yosuke stifled a yawn as he made his way outside where the sun was already setting due to the time of year. Yu was going to meet him there at 6pm, which didn’t really leave Yosuke time to return home since he would be taking the train. He decided to head straight to the izakaya instead, figuring if he got a drink while he waited for Yu to arrive it may help him calm his nerves.

Once Yosuke arrived at the small izakaya that was within walking distance of his alma mater, he stepped inside and was immediately met with a, “Long time no see!” He lifted his head up in surprise to see his old friend Kou standing behind the bar while their other friend Daisuke was nursing a drink. Daisuke had been the one to call out to him, although Kou gave him a friendly wave once he realized they had caught Yosuke’s attention.

“Shouldn’t you be at work?” Kou asked curiously as he looked at the clock.

“I’m on light duty right now,” Yosuke said as he took a seat next to Daisuke. “I didn’t know you still worked here.” While they had all been friends in college, it had been awhile since they had last caught up since they were all busy with their lives. Last Yosuke knew, Kou was working on his PHD while Daisuke had gotten a job as the assistant athletic director at a local school.

“Yeah, gotta pay the bills until I finish my degree,” Kou replied. “The manager here’s always been flexible with my schedule.” Kou pulled out Yosuke’s favorite beer and set it on the bar for him. “This guy usually shows up to bother me after he gets off work.”

Daisuke shot him a glare. “Excuse me for being a good friend,” he sniffed. He then leaned back to look at Yosuke. “We haven’t seen you in awhile. Surprised you’re here today.”

“I’m meeting with a friend,” Yosuke replied, trying his best to tamp down his blush. He knew Kou and Daisuke wouldn’t let him live it down. “I’ve been pretty busy, but still, I should have come by sooner. We really need to catch up.”

He and Daisuke clinked their beer bottles before Yosuke took a sip, feeling some of his tension ease away. It had been awhile since he had last been here, but the relaxed atmosphere always calmed him down. Although it was basically a bar, the food they served was really good and they always had music that he liked playing in the background. It was pretty eclectic inside as well with the owner of the bar decorating the place with nick knacks he had brought back from his travels around Japan. It felt very at home, and Yosuke was feeling a little better at bringing Yu here. He was sure the curator would find it fascinating, and the beer selection was amazing since they served local craft beer.

At around 5:45, Yu finally stepped into the pub, and Yosuke was somehow unsurprised that he had arrived 15 minutes early. Yu seemed surprised to see him there already, especially with how cozy he looked at the bar. “Glad you could make it,” Yosuke said, grinning at him. “I want you to meet Kou and Daisuke – they’re both friends of mine from college.” Daisuke raised his beer in greeting while Kou bowed his head, and Yu bowed lightly in reply. He had a jacket folded over his arm, and he was looking around the small izakaya appraisingly. Yosuke felt a little nervous and he took another swig of his beer, hoping that Yu liked what he saw. 

“We’re going to move to a table. I’ll catch up with you guys later,” Yosuke said, sliding out of his seat. He missed the glance that Kou and Daisuke exchanged behind his back.

“I’ll hold you to that!” Daisuke replied, while Kou pulled out the menu and brought it over to the table for Yu to look at. He knew Yosuke knew the menu by heart and probably already knew what he wanted to order. 

“Just call me over when you’re ready,” he said before returning to his spot behind the bar.

Before Yosuke and Yu could be seated, Yu stopped him and held out the jacket. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to fully repair it, but I have a friend who’s a fashion designer and she helped me salvage it for you. I hope you don’t mind.” The jacket had some of Yosuke’s original leather, but the areas that had been too badly torn or stained by blood had been carefully cut away and replaced with new leather, forming an interesting patchwork across the whole jacket that in Yosuke’s opinion made it look much cooler than it had originally. It also had a new button with an iconic “A” shaped like an upside-down heart followed by an “I” and stitching on the flap of the jacket pocket that had the same logo that allowed Yosuke to realize who exactly Yu’s fashion designer friend was. 

“You mean to tell me this jacket was made by Ai Ebihara,” Yosuke asked, his voice raising an octave in his surprise. 

“Yes, it is a one of a kind original,” Yu replied. “Do you not like it?”

“I would be crazy not to like it. I love it!” Yosuke pulled off his corduroy jacket, draping it haphazardly on his chair in his rush to slide on his leather jacket. It fit perfectly, and while it felt a little different from his old jacket, it honestly fit better and was higher quality. Ai had also made changes to the fabric on the inside of the jacket and it was better insulated and softer now. “I don’t know what to say…”

Yu was staring at him, and Yosuke glanced up and noted how the other man quickly looked away with a flushed face. Yosuke felt a boost of confidence before turning to face his friends. “How do I look?” he asked, and while he could tell their knee-jerk reaction was to tease him, they both gave a pause which told him everything he needed to know.

“That looks really good on you. Your “friend” has good taste,” Kou said. Daisuke merely stared until Kou elbowed him hard in the arm.

“Yeah, you look good,” Daisuke said, wincing as he rubbed his arm.

Yosuke looked satisfied as he turned around and sat down across from Yu. He kept running his hands along the arms of the jacket, taking in the new leather smell mixed in with the familiar smell of his old jacket. It was honestly touching that Yu had done something so thoughtful for him. “Know what you want to eat?” Yosuke asked, looking up at Yu. The other man had been staring again, although this time he didn’t bother to avert his eyes.

“You seem pretty familiar with this place, so I figure I’ll trust your judgement on what to order for us,” Yu replied. “I will, however, be ordering my beer since they surprisingly have my favorite on tap. Most places don’t carry it.”

“The owner has great taste,” Yosuke bragged. He ended up ordering them some fried chicken and yakitori to get started, since the fried chicken was his favorite thing to eat there. There was a time in college where it had become his Friday night standard. Kou brought him another beer while bringing Yu his, and they both got to chatting as the izakaya began to fill up as more regulars piled in as they got off work. The pub took on a lively atmosphere, but it never grew overwhelming and instead felt comfortable like having family over for dinner. It was obvious everyone pretty much knew each other, and Yosuke was relieved to see that Yu seemed pretty at ease.

“This place seems pretty special to you,” Yu commented as Yosuke bit into his first piece of fried chicken. As the familiar, tasty flavor hit his mouth, he couldn’t help but let out a small moan of pleasure. Yu’s eyes flickered over to Yosuke again at the sound, but the detective didn’t notice since he was so intent on his food. He finished his bite before responding to the comment.

“It is. Honestly, I had always planned on taking someone special here, but never really had a chance to,” he admitted.

“Why not?” Yu asked.

Yosuke looked down. “Remember the last time we ate out and I mentioned that none of my relationships really seem to last long?” he asked. Yu nodded. “That’s why. They always ended before I had a chance to bring anyone here. In retrospect, that’s for the best since I wouldn’t want anything to tarnish my experience here.”

“And yet, you brought me,” Yu said slowly, and Yosuke blinked before looking up at him.

“Yeah, because you’re special. And…I trust you. I don’t think you’re just going to disappear on me,” Yosuke said. Yu didn’t know what to say to that, and Yosuke couldn’t help but feel a bit proud that he managed to render the other man speechless. He was usually teasing Yosuke and riling him up, so it felt nice to see him so affected by the detective’s sincerity. “What about you?” Yosuke asked, suddenly feeling curious.

“What _about_ me?” Yu asked, obviously confused over Yosuke’s change in topic.

“I’m sure a handsome guy like you has been around the block a few times. Got any juicy ex stories to tell me about?” Yosuke asked

Yu twirled his glass of beer for a moment as he tried to come up with a reply. “It’s been quite a long time since I’ve seen anyone,” he finally admitted, which surprised Yosuke. A guy as perfect and handsome as Yu surely had people flocking to him all of the time. “The last person I dated was Rise.”

The way Yu said it, like anyone would know the name, caused Yosuke to pause for a moment. Yu apparently knew Ai so it wouldn’t be a stretch to think he was talking about who he thought he was talking about. “You don’t mean Rise as in the supermodel Rise, do you?” he asked.

“Ah, yes. We’re…childhood friends. We dated before her career took off,” Yu admitted. “It didn’t work out in the end, but honestly we’re much better as friends.”

Yosuke stared at him, slack jawed. Yosuke was honestly more into idols than he was models, but Rise was the one exception. He had followed her career since she had first caught his eye in one of her earliest commercials, and this guy had _dated_ her. And the craziest part? Yosuke felt jealous, but it was dawning on him that he didn’t feel jealous of Yu. No, he was feeling jealous of the model that he had always been a fan of. Yosuke brought a hand up to his head, his brain hurting from the wave of emotion that had just washed over him. “Everything ok?” Yu asked worriedly, and Yosuke nodded his head.

“I never thought I would be jealous of a super model,” Yosuke grumbled, blushing when he saw the wide grin spread across Yu’s face.

“Oh?” he asked, and Yosuke took another bite of chicken in order to avoid having to answer. He then was able to navigate the conversation away from that particular topic, and they ended up having an enjoyable dinner together. Yosuke realized that he had made the right decision to bring Yu here and that his words earlier had been absolutely correct – Yu _had_ become someone special to him, and he was much happier he had waited to bring him here instead of one of his previous girlfriends. It was much more meaningful sharing the place with Yu and allowing him to see a glimpse of his personal world.

Several days later, Yosuke was yet again bored at work and counting down the time until he could leave when he was surprised by a knock at the door. The detective looked up and sat up straight when he realized who it was. “Naoto? What are you doing here this early?” he asked. Naoto also worked night shift so he hadn’t expected to see her there. It was almost 5 and while Naoto was always punctual she didn’t often arrive early.

“I got called in. A detective was attacked last night which left him in critical condition. I’m on call today so I received the case even though it was an assault and not a homicide,” Naoto explained. “He’s awake so I’m going to interview him now.”

“Why are you on call?” Yosuke asked. Usually the detectives were only on call on weekends since there was someone working during the week to take on cases.

“Because the detective who was attacked is none other than Adachi,” Naoto explained. Yosuke’s eyes widened. Adachi was the detective who worked assaults, so it made sense they would need someone filling in. And the assaults and homicide divisions often overlapped when it came to callouts. 

“So, why come to me?” Yosuke asked.

“Because after reading over the report and seeing the wounds and amount of blood loss…I figured it’s up your alley. Mind getting some overtime?” Naoto asked.

“Don’t mind at all,” Yosuke said. It had been awhile since he had done some real work, and he was itching to get involved in a case again. He pulled on his new leather jacket and followed Naoto out the door. Naoto handed him the case file to read in the car, and he flipped through it, taking note of the crime scene photos and the pictures and reports of the injuries to Adachi.

“He said he was attacked by a woman, although his story kept changing over what had provoked the attack,” Naoto explained. “He seemed pretty out of it before he finally passed out.”

“A woman did this kind of damage?” Yosuke asked, before sucking in his breath. “Although that sounds like it’s probably true since normally that’s the kind of thing Adachi would try to lie about.” The man had an ego after all and if it had just been a bruise he probably would have tried to play it off that he had gotten injured in some other way instead of admitting a woman had gotten the better of him. “I wonder what sleazy thing he did to piss someone off this bad. It’s definitely gotta be a vampire with the amount of blood. These look like fang marks and those definitely look like vampire claws. He’s going to be in the hospital for awhile…”

Once they arrived at the hospital, they headed inside to the front desk. Naoto flashed her badge and explained why she was there, and they were both startled to learn from the receptionist that Adachi was actually in the process of getting discharged. “There’s no way,” Yosuke said, remembering the images he had seen of the crime scene. There had been way too much blood for Adachi to be discharged.

At that moment, Adachi stepped into the room. While he certainly seemed out of it with pale skin and eyes that kept darting about everywhere, he did seem to be doing much better than he had in the picture. He was sporting some pretty dark bruises and he had bandages over the scratch marks, but somehow he had enough strength to stand and walk. As Yosuke looked at him, he felt a sudden burning sensation on his back where his scratch marks had scarred up, and he winced as his head swam for a moment. “You ok?” Naoto asked, and Yosuke nodded his head. 

“Let’s get this interview over with,” he replied, suddenly feeling uneasy. Something felt off, and usually Yosuke’s instincts were never wrong when it came to that sort of thing.

“Hey, Adachi, how are you feeling?” Naoto asked. Adachi blinked at them and then abruptly sat down. He seemed a little spooked, which wasn’t that surprising based on what had happened to him. Yosuke and Naoto sat on either side of him.

“I was out last night following up on some leads when I ran into this…woman. By accident. There was something not quite right about her,” Adachi replied. “I can’t quite place it. We ended up in an alleyway because she said she wanted to talk and before I knew it she was attacking me. She was strong, brutally strong…” Adachi’s eyes looked feverish, and he suddenly closed his eyes and bowed his head, obviously overwhelmed by the assault. It wasn’t surprising – the wounds and blood loss looked brutal, although Yosuke supposed some of the blood may have not been his own since Adachi was able to walk.

“You’re ok now,” Naoto said gently. “You’ve had a long day. I’ll follow up later to try to get some more details – for now just get some rest.”

Adachi nodded gratefully before unsteadily standing back up and heading out of the hospital. Yosuke and Naoto watched him go, not quite comprehending what was going on. “Something seems…off,” Yosuke said.

“It feels off to me as well,” Naoto admitted. “I’m going to check out the crime scene and I will let you know if I see anything.”

Before Yosuke could ask to come as well, Naoto raised an eyebrow at him. “Were you about to say something, sempai?” she asked dryly. “Last I checked you’re on light duty and it’s past time for you to head home.”

Yosuke wanted to point out that Naoto had been the one to invite him here, but he had to admit he was feeling a little tired after a long day. At least tomorrow he would have something to work on once his desk work inevitably dried up. “Yeah, yeah…” he replied.

“I’ll drop you off since it’s on my way,” Naoto said, and they headed out to her car. They discussed the facts of the case on the way, and how Adachi’s story just didn’t add up. It didn’t make sense for the detective to just follow a strange woman into an alleyway, and they wondered what he was trying to hide. They didn’t come up with any conclusive theories, however, and Yosuke frowned as he got out of the car and waved goodbye to Naoto. He texted the details to Chie and Kanji, knowing that if they had a dangerous vampire on the loose that it was imperative the others kept an eye out for her so they could try to find her before she attacked any other people. 

He then noticed he had a text message from Yu who was already at work, and he opened it up to see Yu thanking him for taking him out to dinner the other night. Yosuke flushed and wondered for a moment if Yu had caught his meaning when he said he was special to him, before shaking his head as he typed out a quick reply letting Yu know he was open to going out again. His neighbor quickly replied that this time it would be on him, and Yosuke blushed before wondering what sort of place Yu would take him to. It had been awhile since Yosuke had considered opening his heart to someone, and while he was nervous, he somehow felt comfortable in the fact that it was Yu he had these feelings for. He had been completely honest when he said he trusted Yu, although he didn’t mind continuing to take things slow and getting to know him more before taking the next step.


	10. More than a Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yu and Rise are at the Amagi shrine watching a ceremonial dance when the encounter a strange vampire.

‘I never thought I would be jealous of a super model.’ Yosuke’s mumbled words and his adorably pouty expression was seared into Yu’s memory, and he couldn’t help but recall it over and over after their dinner date. He also looked really good in the jacket, and Yu couldn’t help but feel overly pleased that it not only fit the detective perfectly, but he also seemed really happy with it. He had been nervous with the changes and wasn’t sure if he would like them, but the moment the jacket rested on Yosuke’s shoulders it was like it was meant to be. Then there was the whole matter of the establishment.

Yu could tell the moment he had stepped inside that it was a place special to Yosuke. Not only did the aesthetic and the atmosphere remind Yu of the detective, but the moment he had seen Yosuke sitting at the bar with his college friends it had felt like he belonged there. Yu had himself felt momentarily jealous and left out, until Yosuke had brought him to the table and in a sense let him into a part of his life, even confessing that he had always wanted to bring someone special there before and had chosen Yu. Yu suddenly felt hot under the collar and his head swam for a moment. That night felt almost surreal now, with Yu just immersed in the person that was Hanamura Yosuke. The lighting at the bar was agreeable with him and between that and the new jacket Yu had been unable to tear his eyes away from him all night, although Yosuke hardly looked like it bothered him. He seemed pleased by the attention. 

Yu’s thoughts were interrupted by a text message and he looked down, smiling widely when he realized Yosuke had finally responded to the message he had sent a bit ago thanking him for dinner the night before. “I wouldn’t be opposed to going out again,” the message read, and Yu’s senses thrummed alive at the very thought.

“It will be on me next time,” he quickly messaged back. Yu had fallen hard, and it was difficult to remind himself to not get too attached, to remember Yosuke’s profession, to keep a careful distance with the knowledge he had that the detective did not share about the differences between them. Not when Yosuke’s eyes were full of all of the warmth of the sun Yu hadn’t felt in ages with the leather jacket accentuating the strength of his protective spirit in his back and shoulders.

“You really have it bad, don’t you,” a voice drawled next to him, and Yu winced, suddenly remembering where he was. Next to him was Rise, dressed in casual clothes, sunglasses, and a long ponytail with a cap helping to hide her face. They were at the Amagi shrine for one of their yearly dance ceremonies that was supposed to bring divine protection to the shrine and in turn the surrounding area. Yukiko was at the center of it all, wearing a kimono instead of her usual miko clothing as she led her fellow shrine maidens in their dance. They were all wielding fans that were both beautiful and deadly with steal frames that could both slice and cause blunt damage; they had been in the shrine for generations. Yu was there as research for an academic article he was working on for the local university’s historical journal, while Rise enjoyed the traditional dancing and came every year. Even dressed casually, she looked stunning and exuded confidence; it was hard to not be charmed by her.

Yu slid his phone back into his pocket. “What do you mean?” he asked, face impassive although she knew him well enough to tell by the set of his jaw he was trying not to blush.

“You have been daydreaming all evening and haven’t paid me the slightest bit of attention,” Rise replied, giving a rather good pout. If Yu had not just been charmed by Yosuke’s pout the night before, then it may have been more effective. Instead, he couldn’t help but find the humor in the fact Yosuke had no need to feel jealous the night before when he was far more attracted to him than he was the model. Still, he did feel some shame in not paying her attention so far.

“That is rude of me,” he finally admitted, and she flashed a grin at him.

“So, you admit it,” she said. “Will you at least show me how he looks in the jacket? You and Ai were working on it all week!” He knew that she just wanted to see what he looked like and was curious about the detective, but Yu was never really able to deny Rise when she really wanted something.

He pulled his phone back out and flipped to the picture Yosuke had Kou take of them the night before. The two of them looked good together, if Yu was being honest with himself. Yu had been dressed in a blazer with a button up and dark gray slacks while Yosuke had been wearing his normal jeans and a dusky orange long sleeve shirt under his new leather jacket. They looked cozy together after a few drinks, and Yu had already saved the picture as his background. Rise let out a low whistle. “I can see why you’re so smitten,” she said appraisingly. “And I was right – he’s totally your type.”

Yu rolled his eyes, but their conversation was cut short as they both came to the realization that they suddenly smelled blood. And not just any kind of blood – it was vampire blood. They both exchanged glances before their senses kicked in and they scanned the crowd, spotting the menacing streak making a beeline toward the dancers just in time. Rise and Yu kicked into high gear, tapping into their speed and weaving between the crowd, moving so fast that the bystanders felt like a sudden breeze had whipped by, before catching the vampire right before she reached the outskirts of the crowd. Her eyes were glassy with hunger and her sweater and jeans were stained with dried blood. Yu latched onto her, holding her down while Rise grabbed a bottle of water and dropped a blood tablet inside before feeding it to her. Yu felt the change in the vampire immediately who suddenly stopped struggling as she regained her senses.

“Thank you for stopping me,” she said, sounding drained and tired. Yu, now sure she was no longer a threat to the crowd, finally released her and stepped back.

“What happened to you?” Rise asked as the three of them carefully moved away from the ceremony and toward an empty part of the shrine. She looked like she had lost a lot of blood, which would account for the blood lust frenzy she had fallen into. If vampires were not careful with their diet, they could easily fall into the same wild hunger fledglings or untrained vampires had where their thirst was untamed and they were a menace to society. The kind that vampire hunters took down.

“I had gone out as soon as the sun went down,” she explained. “I just wanted a nice evening where I could go out shopping and enjoy the crowd. I was accosted by some detective who said I looked like someone he was trying to interview. Even though I knew that wasn’t the case, he was insistent I come with him and he drew me away into a side street away from the din of the crowd. The bastard then tried to seduce me, and when that didn’t work…” She gripped her hands into fists. “Let’s just say he picked the wrong woman to mess with.” 

“What happened next?” Yu asked gently, and she let out a sigh.

“I was so overcome with rage – I can’t really remember,” she admitted. “I fought back and once he started to realize how much stronger I was than him he became desperate. He wasn’t a bad fighter and managed to get some hits in himself in his desperation. It only enraged me more. Before I knew it, there was so much blood, and I realized he wasn’t fighting back anymore.” She frowned. “I didn’t want to kill him – there would be too much attention if that happened – so I gave him some of my blood to make sure he would survive. Then, I fled.”

“You’re sure he was still alive when you fed him your blood?” Rise asked in alarm. If the dirty detective had died, then the introduction of vampire blood would have turned him into a fledgling, which would be extremely dangerous.

“I…can’t really remember,” she admitted. “It’s just so hazy… I’m sure if he had been turned, he will be dead by morning though.” She was referring to the sunlight – most fledglings were short lived since they were unaware of the deadly effects of the sun on their kind.

“You’re sure he was a detective?” Yu asked, worry sinking in at the thought. A fledgling vampire at the police department would surely put Yosuke in danger. Especially if he was unaware. 

“He acted like it. Kept talking about some case he was working on. He said I knew one of the suspects and wanted to get information from me. He even mentioned the name of a colleague of mine which was the only reason I had followed him. I regret letting my guard down…” she said, biting her lip. “This whole evening has been a nightmare…”

“Do you remember what the detective looked like?” Rise spoke up, and Yu blinked his eyes in surprise before looking over at her. Rise was watching the vampire woman carefully, and he realized that she had probably picked up on his worry and was looking out for Yosuke on his behalf.

The woman shook her head. “In my rage…I cannot. I’m sorry, everything is so hazy…” They both understood. Between the rage and following blood lust, it would be hard for any vampire to remember.

“You probably want to get out of the city for now and lie low,” Rise said gently. “I am sure if the detective did survive they will be looking for you. There are cameras everywhere so they may figure out who you are.”

“You have a point. Thank you for stopping me in my hunger craze,” she said. “I would have felt horrible if I had harmed an innocent.”

Rise and Yu both bowed their heads and she bowed in return before disappearing into the night. Rise then turned to look at Yu, eyes worried. “Darling, are you going to be ok?” she asked, hand reaching out to press against his arm.

“I am not sure,” Yu admitted. He felt nothing but concern for the detective in that moment. “I think I am going to go home for the evening.” He hesitated. “I know it’s rude of me…”

Rise shook her head before giving him a small, encouraging smile. “I understand. You want to make sure he’s ok,” she said, giving his arm a squeeze before pulling away. “I think it’s good, seeing you open your heart to someone again. I will keep an eye out and let you now if I hear anything.” Rise had a lot of contacts in the vampire world due to her celebrity, and Yu knew she would do everything in her power to help. He gave her a weak, thankful smile before also melting away into the night and hurrying to his car.

In no time at all, he returned to the apartment, realizing that Yosuke had not returned yet due to being unable to sense any signs of him inside. Yu paced about in the lobby, not wanting to go inside and miss meeting Yosuke, and worried since he wasn’t home yet. Due to being on day shift, he would normally be home by now, and Yu couldn’t help but feel a little bit of alarm. To his relief, not long later he heard a car pull up outside, and he looked out the door to see Yosuke step out of a car before waving at a woman with navy blue hair dressed professionally in a dark blue suit. She also appeared to be a detective and she nodded her head before pulling away. Yosuke began walking toward their apartment, eyes appearing troubled by something, until he spotted Yu staring at him from the lobby.

“Hey,” Yosuke greeted as he stepped inside. “Not at work tonight?”

“I just returned from an event at the Amagi shrine,” Yu replied. “I was going to work from home the rest of the evening.”

“Oh yeah, that ceremony was tonight, wasn’t it?” Yosuke asked. He had a hint of a sterile smell on him, like he had just been to the hospital, and he looked like he was brooding over something.

“Something happen at work?” Yu asked, and Yosuke shook his head before smiling at him. 

“Yeah, something did happen but I can’t really talk about it,” he admitted. “I’m helping Naoto out with a case and have a lot on my mind.”

Yu felt a chill run up his spine, and while he wanted to ask more he knew it wasn’t his place. “Just be careful,” he replied, and Yosuke gave him a gentle smile.

“No worries there,” he replied. “I’ve gotta head up to check on Ted and make sure he’s studying. I’m sure you’ve got a lot to work on yourself. Catch up with you later?”

“I look forward to it,” Yu replied, watching anxiously as Yosuke made his way up the stairs, waiting a few moments before following. Something about the whole situation was making him feel uneasy, and he desperately hoped that his fears were unfounded.


	11. Every Breath You Take

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yosuke and Kanji begin investigating the vampire attack on Adachi and in the process Yosuke feels like he's being followed.

“Sempai, are you sure you’re ready for this?” Kanji asked incredulously as Yosuke nodded off next to him on the train. Yosuke sat up straight and quickly wiped at his mouth, feeling relieved when he realized he hadn’t been drooling.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m totally awake,” Yosuke replied while Kanji gave him an incredulous look.

“You could have at least waited a few days until you got used to night shift again,” the younger detective muttered while shoving his hands into the pocket of his hoodie. Yosuke narrowed his eyes at him.

“What was that, Tatsumi?” he quipped, and Kanji stretched out his legs while sliding down in his seat, before giving Yosuke a sullen look. Yosuke fought back a yawn before letting out a sigh.

“You don’t know how crazy sitting at the desk was making me,” he said. “I couldn’t sit around staring at my screen a day longer.”

“I guess I can relate,” Kanji replied. “I hate desk work too. I think all of us do…” Kanji and Yosuke both thought back to the months that Chie had been stuck doing desk duty until she had finally been assigned to the training role and shuddered. That had been a literal nightmare, and Yosuke honestly did not know how Yukiko managed to stay by Chie’s side during that time. She was definitely not cut out for sitting around, and running the hunter academy and being over their training regimen was the perfect outlet for her energy. “But still…”

“I know, I know. I’ll stay awake, promise,” Yosuke said, waving away Kanji’s concern. Damn was he tired though. Just as he had gotten used to day shift he had jumped right back into night shift, finding it difficult yet again to try to gradually ease himself into it. Instead he had stayed up all day, figuring that after fighting through tonight and getting some rest he would be back on track the next day. It had worked back in college when he used to stay up all night studying or writing papers due to slacking off and cramming at the last minutes, but Yosuke was starting to find as he got older it wasn’t as easy as it used to be. He really needed more sleep in order to function. Yosuke nearly dozed off again, but this time he stubbornly stayed awake and thus was ready when they finally got to their stop. 

Kanji and Yosuke were going to check out the alleyway where Adachi had been attacked by what Yosuke was pretty sure was a vampire. They wanted to see if they could pick up any clues or figure out where the vampire had disappeared to after the attack. It had been awhile since Yosuke had seen something that brutal and violent – Adachi had lost a lot of blood and had been pretty battered and bruised. The crime scene photos had been chilling and Yosuke was honestly surprised Adachi had recovered so quickly. It seemed odd since the wounds in the crime scene photos definitely did not look superficial. 

Once they arrived at the alleyway they began to look around, taking careful note of the area while Yosuke ran through mental notes of the report he had read. He knew based on photos where Adachi had been discovered, and he walked over to where he had been lying down, before circling around the area. The alleyway was narrow and not visible from the main street due to the layout of the surrounding buildings and vending machines. All of the blood had been cleaned up and it was honestly difficult to tell something had happened there only days ago. There hadn’t been much video footage to go by surprisingly – there was a brief shot of Adachi and a woman taken by a camera outside a near by convenience store, but her back had been turned so it was hard to tell who she was. There were no cameras at all in this part of the alleyway, and Yosuke wondered if the woman would have known that and chosen the spot for that very reason. Adachi should have realized it too, though, since he generally worked in this area, so Yosuke was surprised he had allowed himself to get lured away. Something still didn’t feel right about that, but Yosuke was having trouble putting his finger on exactly why.

“Hey sempai, look at this,” Kanji called out, and Yosuke shook his head, clearing his thoughts before walking over to where Kanji was standing. He quickly realized what Kanji wanted to show him, and his eyes widened as he looked at the large dent in the side of the vending machine that the younger detective was inspecting. Seeing damage like that was always a sharp reminder how strong vampires were – it looked like it had been dented in by a fist. Yosuke let out a whistle, before shaking his head. 

“Whatever Adachi did, it sure pissed her off,” he commented. Somehow, although Adachi was supposed to be the victim, for the first time since he had first heard about the case, Yosuke felt like his gut instincts were correct. Adachi had always given off sleazy vibes even if he was a fellow detective, and Yosuke wouldn’t be surprised if it came out whatever happened was at least partially his fault. “I doubt that she would have run off back in the crowd – based on the blood she had on her I think it would have caused a scene,” Yosuke mused. “Although what doesn’t make sense is if she was crazy enough with bloodlust to attack him, that would have been the logical path for her to take…”

That was it. That was what was bothering Yosuke about this whole thing. Vampires acting out of bloodlust were pretty easy to figure out. They had limited self-preservation once they got into a frenzy and often ended up rushing into a crowd, making it easier to track them down and eliminate them. The more dangerous vampires were the cold killers that were calculating and hunting humans on purpose. If she had purposefully moved away from the crowd…that was either a self-preservation move or it meant she had enough presence of mind to not want to harm other people. Yosuke frowned before looking down the other side of the alleyway. “Let’s see where this leads,” he decided, and he and Kanji made their way down it, noting that the further away they got from the main street the quieter it got. The surrounding architecture also began to gradually change, becoming less modern and more residential. Eventually the narrow alleyway became a little wider before spilling out onto a street that was very familiar to Yosuke. It led to the Amagi shrine.

Yosuke’s brows furrowed as he looked down the quiet street. Because it was an older neighborhood, there wasn’t anyone out and about like on the busy street a few blocks over. It would make sense no one would have encountered the vampire if she had escaped this way. Although…Yosuke thought back. Something had been going on at the shrine that night – Yu had mentioned the yearly blessing where Yukiko and the other miko did a traditional dance to protect the shrine and surrounding neighborhood. That usually drew a crowd so surely someone would have spotted her. “Looks like we need to dig a little further,” Yosuke said to himself while Kanji tilted his head in confusion.

“Got a lead?” he asked, and Yosuke shook his head.

“Not a lead so much as a place to start,” he said. “Although it’s quiet tonight, the night Adachi was attacked the nearby shrine had a big event going on. It’s possible someone may have spotted something. There was also a lot of media coverage…looks like it’s time to do some digging.”

“Great…desk work,” Kanji grumbled, and Yosuke let out a chuckle before another yawn escaped him. More than likely he wouldn’t be able to stay up if he tried to work on it tonight, but it was at least a step in the right direction.

Over the next several nights as Yosuke got used to his old schedule again, he and Kanji continued to split their time between digging through media coverage and posts about the event at the Amagi shrine, while also interviewing any potential witnesses or passersby that may have spotted either of them. So far everything had been leading to a dead end which both of them found pretty frustrating. It had been awhile since Yosuke had experienced such a bizarre vampire case – most of the vampires they tended to track down were pretty obvious and much easier to find. Nothing about this case fit their usual targets, and something about it didn’t seem to fit the other kind – the more dangerous kind that Yosuke treated more like a traditional serial killer. Usually in those cases, they could trace back to earlier incidents or attacks, but no matter where he looked he couldn’t see anything that seemed to tie this unknown woman to any earlier events. And to top it off…Yosuke was starting to get the weird feeling lately that he was being followed.

At first, Yosuke had brushed it off to paranoia since he was sleep deprived and it had been awhile since he had been back on the streets. His last case had also been pretty traumatic, and he figured whatever he was feeling was lingering effects from that. However, after a week of getting better sleep and acclimating to his schedule, he was still feeling it. Yosuke normally had really good instincts – his ability to sense when someone was following him had saved him on more than one occasion since vampire hunters were just as often hunted by their prey. The hair on the back of his neck would stand up, and he would usually be able to pick up on where the vampire was hiding. The problem was, he didn’t know why a vampire would be following him right now. Other than the woman, he and Kanji didn’t really have any other cases at the moment. And other than Yamada, Yosuke never let a vampire get away, so it wasn’t like it was an old case returning to haunt him. The type of vampires they dealt with tended to be loners so it was rare a hunter was stalked for revenge on another vampire’s behalf. Plus, he hadn’t seen a single thing to lead him to believe his instincts were warranted. 

“Tatsumi, have you felt anything…weird lately?” Yosuke asked hesitantly. If Kanji had been noticing it too, maybe he wasn’t going crazy.

“What do you mean?” Kanji asked. They had just finished picking up video footage from the shrine and was bringing it back to the office to get it cleaned up for a night of staring at tapes hoping to catch something. 

Yosuke’s heart sank. Maybe he had been out of the field for so long his instincts were getting rusty. “Never mind,” he muttered. It didn’t make sense for anyone to be following two vampire hunters anyway – vampires preferred to single them out since they had an advantage one on one.

Kanji studied him for a moment, but he didn’t say anything. They soon returned back to the office, and they each took their share of the video footage and prepared for a long night staring at a computer screen. This was one of the more tedious parts of their jobs, but it had to be done.

A few nights later, Yosuke was invited out for drinks by Yu. It was one of their rare shared off days since Yu worked a pretty irregular schedule and often worked on Yosuke’s days off – anytime the museum had a weekend event, which was pretty often, Yu would have to work evenings on the weekend to help out. Yosuke couldn’t help but feel anticipation as he got ready, choosing one of his nicer pairs of jeans and putting on one of his tighter fitting v-necks under his leather jacket. He checked himself out in the mirror and thought he looked pretty damn good before stepping outside of the bathroom and immediately getting bombarded by his cousin.

“Do you have a date with sensei?” Teddie demanded, eyeing his outfit knowingly. “You only wear those jeans when you’re going on a date!”

“It’s not a date,” Yosuke huffed, before crossing his arms.

Teddie stared him down, and Yosuke sighed. “It’s really not. Yu just invited me out for drinks, ok?” He figured it was the “thank you” get together Yu had promised prior to Yosuke’s injury and was trying his best not to get too hopeful. While Yu definitely seemed attracted to him, he had also been maintaining a careful distance and Yosuke couldn’t quite figure out what it was the other man wanted. It didn’t stop him from enjoying Yu’s company though, and Yosuke was carefully trying his best not to get his hopes up too much. Each time he thought a relationship had a chance to work out, it always ended in failure after all. He didn’t mind taking things slow and being sure this time.

“Hmmmmmmm…” Teddie drew out, and Yosuke rolled his eyes. “Maybe sensei’s playing hard to get,” he pondered. “Although he doesn’t really seem the type.” His eyes then narrowed. “If he’s toying with you though I’ll be very upset!”

Yosuke grinned before ruffling his cousin’s hair. “Thanks Ted. Don’t worry – I’ll be careful this time.” He gave Teddie a cheerful wave before heading downstairs, trying to ignore the worried look his cousin shot him as he left. Teddie had been around for Yosuke’s last breakup, and was well aware of how it had impacted his cousin and his lack of a dating life ever since. Yosuke knew that if things somehow didn’t work out, he would probably blame himself since he was obviously trying to set them up. Teddie really was a sweet kid when he wasn’t being obnoxious.

Yosuke knocked on the door to Yu’s apartment, and was surprised by how quickly it opened, almost as if the man had been waiting for him the whole time. Yu was dressed more casually in an oversized sweater and jeans; it was the first time Yosuke had seen him dressed in anything other than dress pants and he had to admit, it was a really good look on him. Yu’s eyes trailed to the dip of Yosuke’s v-neck, and Yosuke couldn’t help but feel good over the fact he had made the right call. “Ready to go?” Yosuke asked, and Yu’s eyes finally pulled away from the glimpse of Yosuke’s chest as they shot up to look at his face.

Yu nodded in response before making sure he had his keys and wallet and stepping outside to lock his door. He then led Yosuke outside to his car, and Yosuke finally got the chance to admire it up close. It was rare knowing someone with a car in the city, and Yosuke wondered for a moment how much Yu must make as a curator in order to afford it. Definitely more than his detective salary. Yosuke thought back to how well decorated Yu’s apartment was and shook his head. It was obvious Yu was a little more well off than he was, but in spite of it he still chose to live in their small apartment complex and he seemed pretty well grounded. To his surprise, Yu opened the passenger door for him, shooting him a smile as Yosuke slid past him to get in the car, surprised by his sudden move. Yu then closed his door before getting into the driver’s seat.

“I think you’re going to like this place,” Yu said. “It’s a piano bar and has an amazing view of the city.”

“Sounds pretty fancy,” Yosuke said, suddenly worried that he was under dressed. However, based on what Yu was also wearing…

“It’s casual. Not to worry,” Yu assured him. He then began talking to Yosuke about the exhibit he had been working on at work, and Yosuke relaxed as they talked, trying to forget all the worries he had been feeling at work and allowing himself to enjoy the moment instead. Once they arrived at their destination, Yosuke realized that the piano bar was attached to a fancy hotel, and he suddenly began to doubt Yu’s assurance that the place was casual. Especially when they pulled up to valet and Yu handed them the keys to park his car. He nervously followed Yu inside, eyes wide as he took in the high class décor inside. There were extravagant flower arrangements, marble floors and columns, and even a water fountain in the lobby area, and he couldn’t help but feel a little out of place. Yu gave Yosuke’s shoulder an encouraging squeeze before leading him to the glass elevator and pushing the button to the appropriate floor near the top of the hotel. 

Their trip up didn’t take long, and soon they were stepping out into a completely different vibe. To Yosuke’s relief, everyone did seem to be dressed pretty casually, and the bar itself was pretty small and gave a very intimate atmosphere. There was indeed a piano next to the bar, and the pianist was playing a light, jazzy tune that added to the relaxed setting. Yosuke felt himself calm down as he followed Yu to the bar, that is until he opened the cocktail menu and saw the prices of the drinks. “Don’t worry – I’m paying tonight, remember?” Yu said, leaning over his shoulder to also glance at the menu. “It’s my turn to treat you this time.”

“I thought you said this place wasn’t fancy,” Yosuke accused, liking the sound of Yu’s husky chuckle next to his ear. 

“I think you fit right in,” he replied. Yosuke ordered a mojito while Yu picked out one of the house martinis, and after picking up their drinks they made their way down to one of the tables next to the bar so they could have a little more privacy while watching the pianist perform. Yosuke leaned back in his seat and allowed himself to unwind after a long week at work. He glanced over at Yu, who he noticed was in the middle of stealing a look at him while pretending to watch the performance. 

“How’s it been at work?” Yu asked, and Yosuke let out a sigh before taking a sip of his drink. Unsurprisingly, it was excellent, and probably worth the price. If anything, he was discovering Yu had very good taste.

“It’s been rough. It’s been awhile since I handled a case that just seems to lead to nowhere,” Yosuke admitted. “It’s very frustrating…”

“Want to tell me about it?” Yu asked, and Yosuke thought for a moment before carefully explaining in broad terms what he was dealing with at work. Yu seemed to have a reaction when he mentioned the attack on Adachi, but Yosuke figured it was just concern over a police detective being violently attacked, especially since he had witnessed Yosuke recover from some pretty nasty wounds himself.

He then began to talk about some of his concerns about the case and lack of leads into the suspect, pausing to ask Yu if he had noticed anything strange when he was at the ceremony at the shrine. Yu had thought for a moment before shaking his head, and Yosuke tried his best to not let his disappointment show. It had been a long shot after all – no one else had noticed anything yet either. “And then to top it off…I just can’t feel like I’ve somehow lost my touch since I’ve gotten back,” Yosuke sighed. He then made to take another sip of his drink, but blinked as he realized while telling his story it was now empty. Before he could feel too disappointed, his empty glass was picked up by the bartender who set down a new one while also replacing Yu’s drink.

“Why do you say that?” Yu asked, almost seeming not to notice the bartender. He seemed pretty invested in what Yosuke had to say.

Yosuke let out a frustrated groan before leaning back in his chair. “It’s pretty stupid really,” he said.

“I highly doubt that,” Yu retorted, before leaning forward. Anytime Yu did that, it always had a funny effect on Yosuke. His heart skipped a beat, and he realized that it made him want to open up more to Yu since he seemed to genuinely interested in what he had to say. He had never met someone who made him feel that way before.

“Well…it’s hard to explain. I’m probably just paranoid…” he muttered, and to his surprise Yu suddenly sat up straight at his words.

“What do you mean?” he asked, eyes narrowing as he stared Yosuke down.

“Uh…” Yosuke trailed off, surprised by his reaction. “I dunno. It’s just this feeling, like I’m being followed.”

Concern flashed in Yu’s eyes, and Yosuke quickly tried to downplay it. “But Kanji, the guy I’ve been investigating with, he hasn’t noticed anything. I think it’s just leftover from what I went through last time,” he said. “It’s just annoying because I used to have really good instincts and they just seem to be leading me awry these days…”

“I disagree,” Yu replied, and Yosuke looked up at him in surprise. “I think you need to rely on those instincts. They’re there to protect you.”

Yosuke’s brows furrowed as he considered Yu’s words. With Yu taking his concerns seriously, he began to feel a little more like they weren’t completely unfounded. “How long will you be working with a partner?” Yu asked.

“Just for a bit longer. I should be on my own again soon,” Yosuke replied.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea right now?” Yu blurted out, again surprising Yosuke. Yosuke could understand Yu’s worry, based on what happened to him last time, but he had been hunting on his own for quite awhile and knew he could take care of himself.

“Nothing to worry about,” he grinned at Yu. “My boss wouldn’t be putting me back on solo cases if he didn’t think I was ready. I’ve been working on my own for quite awhile now and been handling myself just fine.”

Yu bit back his reply and still appeared frustrated and worried about him, and Yosuke searched for another way to reassure him. “How about this. I’ll text you every night so you know I’m safe. How does that sound?”

Yu did look relieved at that, and Yosuke noticed some of the tension finally ease out of his shoulders. “Promise?” he asked, and Yosuke nodded his head before offering Yu his hand. Yu took it and they both shook hands.

“Promise,” Yosuke grinned. They then returned to enjoying their drinks and the music, allowing themselves to sink into the relaxing atmosphere as they enjoyed each other’s company.


	12. Come Undone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yu is unable to deny his feelings for Yosuke any longer and comes up with a plan to protect him once he starts patrolling on his own again.

When Yu finally pulled up to his parking spot at their apartment complex, he couldn’t help but feel disappointment that their outing was already over. Yosuke had chatted with him the whole ride home, cheeks slightly pink and a bit tipsy after one too many drinks, and Yu was distracted by how cozy Yosuke looked in his leather jacket and v-neck shirt that showed off his collarbones as he reclined in the seat in his intoxicated state. Yu allowed his eyes to roam over Yosuke for a moment, and he was reminded yet again how striking the detective was. As Yu’s eyes traveled from Yosuke’s surprisingly elegant looking neck, usually partially covered by his hair, to his face, he realized that Yosuke was staring back at him, causing Yu to flush since he had been caught staring.

“Like what you see?” Yosuke asked with a lazy grin, and Yu’s heart clenched at how alluring he looked at that very moment. It took everything in his willpower to merely smile before finally opening the door, ruining the moment as the cool night breeze broke up the warmth of the car. Yosuke pouted before letting out a huff, opening his door before Yu had a chance to do it for him. Yu offered a steadying hand and Yosuke ignored it, instead unsteadily getting to his feet and stretching before crossing his arms.

Yu didn’t like seeing him so irritable, and so decided to appease him. He closed his car door and locked it, before locking eyes with Yosuke and replying, “And what if I do?” Yosuke’s eyes widened and if his cheeks weren’t already flushed Yu was sure they would have become so now. Before he had a chance to reply, however, Yu had headed to their apartment and held the door open before patiently turning and waiting on his companion. Yosuke quickly walked over, the cool air helping to sober him up a bit, before stepping inside and tilting his head to look at Yu. 

“I had a good time tonight,” Yosuke said, voice a bit hesitant. Yu remembered their previous conversations and realized that his neighbor was probably nervous because of how his prior relationships had ended. Yu felt a twist in his gut, since he knew he was giving Yosuke mixed signals which wasn’t helping matters. It was just difficult because he was so attracted to the detective even though in his mind he still thought it was better to hold back until he better understood Yosuke’s feelings about vampires. Yosuke, upon seeing him hesitate, quickly turned around. “Well, uh, thanks,” he said, obviously ready to disappear into his apartment. Yu didn’t want him to leave though, especially not like that, for he knew Yosuke was probably mentally berating himself for letting his honest feelings slip.

“Let me walk you to your door,” he said smoothly, and he noticed Yosuke freeze before turning to look at him. This time the dusting of pink on his cheeks was decidedly not from the alcohol.

“You don’t have to do that,” Yosuke said, although Yu could tell that he in truth would love Yu to go forward with it. Yu had seen enough movies to understand what walking someone to their door implied, although he had never experienced it himself, and while he was still at war with himself over how far he wanted to take things with Yosuke, he also thought it was the right decision to make. Yosuke deserved to know he was wanted and this could be one small step in moving things toward the direction Yu truly wanted to go. Maybe even if Yosuke didn’t like vampires, Yu would be able to change his mind.

“I want to,” Yu replied, voice soft, surprising even him. He had meant to come out as smooth, like he usually did, but instead he let a little of his own feelings slip out. Yosuke’s eyes warmed and a genuine smile graced his face, lacking any of the pretense he sometimes used when trying to hide his real feelings. He began heading up the stairs, energy in his steps in spite of their night out drinking, and Yu followed him, steps a little heavier as his heart clenched at how gorgeous Yosuke looked when he gave such an honest smile. Yu realized he wanted to see it again, to treasure it, and he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment as he truly understood how bad he had it for the detective.

Once they reached Yosuke’s floor, Yosuke turned to him and leaned against the door. They stared at each other for a moment, gazes heated and searching, and finally after an agonizing minute Yu began to lean forward, while Yosuke’s eyes slid shut in anticipation. As Yu leaned closer, he breathed in, taking in Yosuke’s normal clean, citrusy scent, until he picked up another one that made him pause and caused his veins to freeze with fear. It was the scent of a vampire. It was subtle and faint which meant that while the vampire hadn’t been too close to Yosuke, it had been around him long enough to still leave a noticeable trace. Yosuke was being followed.

Yu suddenly pulled back, the mood ruined by the sudden knowledge, and Yosuke’s eyes flew open at the change in movement. Yosuke looked disappointed for a moment, until he spotted the fear that Yu was unable to hide from his expression. “Everything ok?” he asked, and Yu took a deep breath before looking down, allowing his bangs to cover his eyes as he tried to get ahold of himself.

“I’m sorry, Yosuke,” Yu said, feeling guilt rack at him as he realized that yet again he was giving the other man mixed signals. To his surprise, Yosuke reached forward and captured his hand, before giving it a small squeeze. Yu looked up at him, and saw concern mixed with understanding on Yosuke’s face, instead of the disappointment he was expecting.

“You don’t have to push yourself,” Yosuke said. “I’m willing to wait until you’re ready. It’s been awhile for me too.” He gave Yu a small smile, not as warm as his last one but gentle and reassuring, and Yu felt his heart tighten. Yosuke was being so understanding even after being denied what he had been hoping for and was still willing to give him a chance. Yu didn’t deserve him. It didn’t stop him from squeezing Yosuke’s hand gently in response, appreciating how Yosuke’s warmth seemed to travel from his hand and along his arm before causing his entire body to warm up at his touch. He then reluctantly pulled away.

“Thank you. Please, stay safe at work.” Yu allowed all of his concern to flash onto his face, and Yosuke’s eyebrows furrowed in surprise.

“I will. Remember, I’ll be texting you,” he said with grin, winking to show off his confidence. He then opened his door and gave Yu a wave before closing it behind him. Yu pressed his head against the door, feeling frustrated over his missed opportunity, but even more concerned by the faint smell wafting off of Yosuke. He really hoped that Yosuke trusted in his instincts, just as Yu had asked him to, because they were spot on. He was being followed, and it was by a vampire being sneaky enough to avoid detection by one vampire hunter while barely appearing on the radar for another.

Yu moved away from Yosuke’s door and headed downstairs to his own apartment, stepping inside before hanging up his coat and putting his keys on the key peg next to his door. He then began to pace in his living room. Yosuke had the next night off as well, and only a few more days left with a partner before he would be patrolling on his own again. Yu had a feeling that was what the vampire was waiting on. He frowned before pulling out his phone and looking at his calendar. He made some mental notes before pulling up his work email and drafting a note. He requested some time off as a sabbatical that would start the night Yosuke would be patrolling on his own again and sent the email to the head of the museum. Yu had never taken a day off before, so he was certain his request would be approved. The project he was working on for the new exhibit was pretty much done and he would be able to wrap it up over the next few days; they would be able to showcase the exhibit without him after that. Yosuke’s protection was more important anyway.

Fortunately, Yu’s request was approved, and he spent his last few days at work hyper focused on wrapping up his final commitments to the exhibit so he would be able to take his days off with a clear conscience. The only thing he looked forward to each day was the texts from Yosuke letting him know he was ok. They always gave Yu a second wind and a burst of energy since it allowed him to take some of his attention away from his worry over the detective. Then, before he knew it, Yu had finally wrapped up his projects and stepped away from his desk for the last time for awhile. He had taken a month off since he wasn’t sure how long it would take for the vampire to reveal himself and wanted to make sure he had plenty of time to keep an eye on Yosuke. Yosuke was off again tonight, but tomorrow would be his first time back on the job by himself. Yu returned home and instead of reading a book or meditating like he usually would he began to search through his things for some of his older clothes he wouldn’t mind getting dirty. As a vampire, Yu didn’t need any weapons, but he did pack some medical supplies in a bag just in case. He then finally took a break, popping in a blood tablet into a glass of wine in order to soothe his nerves. 

It had been awhile since he had been on a “hunt” himself, and he was sure his senses would be a little dull which concerned him. However, he was well attuned to Yosuke’s scent and figured even if the detective somehow slipped away he would be able to track him without issue. He just hoped that he would be able to spot the other vampire and take care of it before it had a chance to harm Yosuke. Once Yu was finished with his drink, he settled into a distracted meditation that wasn’t as effective as usual but still at least gave him an extra boost of energy as he trained all of his senses on his neighbors upstairs. He was listening for the tell-tale sign that Yosuke was heading out for the night, and sure enough around his normal time he began to move about, packing his things before heading out the door. Yu waited until Yosuke had exited outside of the apartment before heading out, slipping out onto his balcony and silently jumping down to the ground so he could follow Yosuke at a safe distance. He knew the detective would be going to check in at work first, so he would wait outside the police station at a safe distance before he headed out on patrol. He did not spot anything on the way over that raised his suspicions, and he wondered if the other vampire knew Yosuke’s schedule and was waiting for him to be out on patrol before stalking him. The idea made Yu even more worried, and he clenched his jaw.

Yosuke wasn’t in the station for very long, and soon he headed back outside, no longer carrying his bag, although Yu could tell by subtle changes in his movements that Yosuke had his gear hidden on him instead. Yosuke began heading down the street toward a quieter, darker part of the city, and Yu silently followed him, keeping an eye on Yosuke to make sure he didn’t notice while also keeping his senses alert for any signs of another vampire. He eventually began to pick up on a faint smell that something else was around, although it didn’t exactly smell vampiric, and in the moment of trying to identify what it was Yu was then distracted by a scuffling sound that was too distant for human ears to hear but definitely sounded like it was made by something human sized. When Yu used his sharp vision to try to pick up on any sign of movement in the distance, he realized that he no longer sensed Yosuke and felt rattled as he looked back at where the detective had last been walking. Yosuke was no longer there and appeared to have slipped away.

Yu panicked for a moment, pivoting around to try to catch any sign of him, before calming down and closing his eyes so he could focus on Yosuke’s scent. He also used his ears in order to try to pick up on any footsteps nearby. To his horror, he heard the faint sound of a grunt in the distance followed by a loud crack like something large had been snapped off, before picking up on the all too familiar scent of Yosuke’s blood which made him feel faint. ‘Yosuke,’ Yu thought, before racing in the direction he was able to pick up on the detective’s scent, hoping he wasn’t too late.


	13. A View to a Kill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yosuke comes face to face with his stalker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to give a warning that this chapter has a moment that's more heavily violent than what I usually write. Please do not read the end fight if that would upset you. The chapters from here on out will not have anymore fighting though!

Yosuke had the distinct impression that he was being followed. He had picked up on it shortly after leaving his apartment – the hair raising on the back of his neck, the feeling that he had eyes on him – and he couldn’t help but feel a little troubled by it. What he had been experiencing at work always happened _at_ work – the feeling of being followed always happened after he had left the precinct and gone on patrol. The thought that he was getting the feeling now as he was leaving his home bothered him a little and made him feel concern over leaving Teddie alone.

‘Maybe I am just becoming paranoid,’ he thought, until he remembered Yu’s words to him during what Yosuke finally had to admit was an actual date.

“You need to rely on those instincts. They’re there to protect you,” Yu had said, those enigmatic gray eyes staring at him imploringly. Yu was always looking at Yosuke when they were together, his eyes trained on him with interest no matter what was going on or who they were near. Whether they were paying close attention as Yosuke spoke, or slowly making their way up his body while they were in the car, or turning into molten silver as he leaned in for their almost kiss… Yosuke flushed for a moment before shaking his head to clear it. Now was not the time to think about _that_ – he had already done it enough on his own the past few days. He couldn’t imagine what Yu had been through in prior relationships to be that nervous about kissing him, although based on his own past experiences he honestly understood and didn’t hold it against his neighbor. The fact that Yu was being more straightforward about his interest was enough; Yosuke wasn’t really a patient man, but this time he could wait.

What was more important was the present. Yosuke made it to the precinct without too much difficulty and headed inside to report in and to get prepared for his first night on patrol on his own again. Chie had arrived around the same time he had and was preparing for her night of training their latest batch of rookies that had been recruited to join their special division. “You ready for tonight?” Chie asked as she set her familiar green and yellow jacket on the back of her chair while she leaned over her desk to quickly check her email.

“Of course,” Yosuke replied as he began to strap on his weapons under his clothes. Chie glanced up at him from over her computer and narrowed her eyes.

“Something has you on edge,” she commented, standing up and placing her hands on her hips as she stared him down. Yosuke paused for a moment as he worked on sliding his daggers into his sleeves.

“What makes you say that?” he asked, trying to sound flippant, and Chie began to look even more annoyed.

“Need I remind you the condition you were in not even a month ago, Hanamura?” she asked, and Yosuke winced.

“Look, I promised I’d be more careful,” he said. “I already got Yu nagging me about it – I had to promise him to text him to let him know I’m safe every night.”

“It’s not like you don’t text him anyway,” Chie muttered under her breath, and Yosuke flushed slightly as he worked on finishing gearing up. He was hoping that slipping Yu’s name in would distract her, but tonight Chie wasn’t falling for it. “Are you just nervous because it’s your first night on your own again?”

“Maybe a little,” Yosuke said. In spite of his confident words to Yu a few nights ago, there was a kernel of truth to his words. He remembered the first time he had patrolled on his own after he had recovered when Chie was still in the hospital. It had been nerve-wracking, not having his partner by his side, and the first few fights on his own had been very difficult. He had eventually begun to manage, and honestly had become quite apt at handling the cases and hunts on his own, but tonight he would definitely be rusty.

“It’s ok if you want to work with Kanji for a bit longer,” Chie replied, and Yosuke shook his head.

“I’ve gotta get used to being on my own again. Kanji’s type of work – the undercover stuff – is not really what I’m into,” Yosuke replied. “And the kinds of cases I usually take on I don’t want to get him wrapped up into.” Kanji was strong, but he was still learning and didn’t have the experience Yosuke or Chie had and was assigned cases that weren’t as dangerous.

“Just remember to call for backup if you need it,” Chie said with a sigh. “And try not to get into trouble.”

Yosuke gave her a wry grin and a mocking salute while she rolled her eyes at him. “How’s the new batch of recruits?” Yosuke asked. He was all geared up and ready to go and was taking a moment to sift through the casework on his desk to see if anything had been added during his days off.

“This group’s a bit of a rowdy bunch. One of them kind of reminds me of you,” Chie said with a wide grin. “Loud and a bit of an idiot.”

Yosuke frowned at her over the file he was glancing at while she laughed. “I think they’re all going to do well though. Every one of them has potential which is good – we need the manpower.”

Yosuke nodded in agreement. Their division covered the whole city with new recruits training in their office before being moved out to the area they would patrol. There were a few openings – due to how dangerous their line of work was, it was pretty common for someone to be hospitalized or worse. “Well, they’re in good hands with you. Work ‘em hard today,” he said. He didn’t have any new cases to work on so he would just do a general patrol today to see if he came upon anything suspicious. And to see if he could draw out whoever had been following him for the past few weeks.

“Be safe out there!” Chie called after him, and Yosuke waved before heading back out into the cool night air. He was glad for the extra padding that Ai had added to his jacket, since it made it much warmer than the original. Yosuke smiled down at the jacket, feeling his heart warm as he remembered Yu giving it to him at his favorite bar.

‘You really are special,’ Yosuke thought, before he picked up again that feeling of being watched. As he began to make his way down the street to his normal patrol area, he honed in on his senses and carefully looked around, trying to see if he could spot any sign of who was following him. Unfortunately, they seemed to be very good at staying out of sight. Unlike in previous days, where Yosuke had felt a general sense of unease, he somehow felt different this time. While he had initially been unnerved due to picking it up right outside his apartment, he realized that something about this presence almost seemed familiar to him – protective instead of threatening. It didn’t make sense though – who else could possibly be following him other than the vampire that had been stalking him lately?

Yosuke reached in his pocket and felt for a pack of incense that he had gotten from the Amagi Shrine. The incense activated by the heat of his skin, turning into an oil and letting off a scent that tended to dull the senses of vampires and distract them when they inhaled it. He used it often when he was being tailed in order to slip away and double back in order to gain the element of surprise. Once he knew it was strong enough to be working on whoever was following him, he slipped away down a side street that would become a twisty maze of alleyways between the different businesses that lined the more busy surrounding streets; he had worked the area long enough to know his way around and was hoping that whoever was following him would have a more difficult time. After a few minutes of making his way through the narrow maze of roads, he popped out next to a small park surrounding a little local shrine. He couldn’t sense whoever had been following him before, but instead of feeling relief he realized he felt a sense of unease instead.

It only took him a moment to realize why. It was dead quiet. Usually in the park he would be hearing the sound of animals creeping about and foraging for food, but the only thing Yosuke could hear was the slight rustle of leaves from a light wind. Yosuke’s eyes narrowed and he took a step forward, eyes darting about as his adrenaline started pumping, and at the last second he spotted a flash of movement from a nearby tree that was heading directly for him.

Yosuke was barely able to dodge out of the way, avoiding being raked by sharp claws coming from hands that had reached for him and been barely more than a millimeter away. Yosuke jumped back and pulled out his gun, and winced as he felt the scar on his back suddenly start to burn. It only seemed to do that around… Yosuke looked up and was face to face with Adachi who was sneering at him. Adachi who had apparently been turned in that brutal vampire attack.

“What the hell is going on?” Yosuke asked. “Are you the one who’s been following me?”

Adachi gave a slow clap. “I guess you’re more perceptive than I thought,” he said, eyes glowing slightly in the moonlight. It gave him an animal-like appearance, and Yosuke felt a shiver run up his spine.

“Why? I don’t understand. We’re both detectives – we’re on the same side,” Yosuke replied.

Adachi snorted. “You and I were never on the same side, not really. And definitely not now,” he replied. “Once I figured out what I was – what abilities I had, what hunger I possessed – I relished it. However, I had to figure out what dangers I faced. Obviously, vampires are not common knowledge which means someone had to be making sure we stayed under wraps. I remembered that a certain division in the police force had always been secretive and worked weird hours and decided I would start by investigating it. It didn’t take long for me to figure out what type of cases you really handled.”

As Adachi spoke, he slowly paced back and forth, his own gun in hand that he kept tapping against his chin. Yosuke’s eyes followed him, and he was on edge. He had no idea what to expect. The only thing he knew was that his instincts about Adachi had been right all along. “I decided to go after you first. You had already involved yourself in my case so it was only a matter of time before you may begin to suspect me. After you, I’m going to go after each of your friends, picking each of you off one by one so no one will be able to stand in my way. I will have free reign over this city and no one will be any the wiser,” Adachi said, a manic grin spreading across his face.

Yosuke’s face twisted with anger. “We’ll see about that,” he said, pointing his gun at Adachi. Before he had a chance to fire, Adachi pivoted out of the way and dashed around to come at Yosuke from behind. Yosuke barely had time to roll forward out of the way as Adachi holstered his gun and lunged for him again. 

“After you I’ll go after that buffoon Tatsumi,” Adachi taunted. Yosuke pulled out his knife, barely staving off another attack as Adachi leaped at him, obviously trying to pin him to the ground.

“Then once I’m done with him I’ll finish off Satonaka. She’s just a waste on the budget now anyway.” Yosuke clenched his teeth before counter-attacking, thrusting his dagger at Adachi who caught it before using Yosuke’s momentum to throw him into a bush. Several of the branches cracked under his weight, and Yosuke winced as one of them sliced open his skin. It wasn’t a deep wound, but it did sting and he turned to see the effect it had on Adachi. Once the vampire picked up on the scent of his blood, his eyes took on a hungry gleam.

“Lastly I’ll take out that annoying bitch Shirogane,” Adachi sneered. “I’m so sick of how everyone in the department sucks up to her like she’s something special.”

“You’re just jealous because she’s a far better detective than you’ll ever be,” Yosuke replied, and Adachi’s eyes turned furious before he leapt at Yosuke again. This time, Yosuke was ready for him, and he pocketed his gun before pulling out his second dagger, using one to stave off the attack while twisting with the other to get a hit in. Adachi growled at him as he felt the sharp blade cut into his flesh before he pulled away and leapt up into a tree again. “Coward as always,” Yosuke grumbled before putting away his daggers and readying his gun again. He kept pivoting, watching out for any sign of movement from the trees, wondering if Adachi would continue to leap at him or possibly use his own gun.

Moments later, Yosuke got his answer as Adachi lunged at him again. Yosuke fired off a shot, hitting Adachi in the arm but not phasing him as he continued forward, raking Yosuke’s right arm with his claws and causing him to drop his gun in pain. Adachi then swiveled to kick at Yosuke, intending to knock him to the ground, but Yosuke managed to avoid the full force of the kick and caught Adachi’s leg, twisting it and yanking him to the ground instead. The other detective pulled his leg free and jumped up, barely giving Yosuke time to pull out his daggers again as he began to attack. They both turned into a furious whirlwind of movement after that, with Adachi circling and attacking Yosuke who was on the defensive as he pivoted and did his best to block Adachi’s claws and teeth and stave him off. While Yosuke was doing a great job holding him off at first, he felt his stamina begin to slip as the onslaught of attacks continued, and he unfortunately finally let in an opening that Adachi was all too happy to take.

Yosuke was a hair too late to block one of Adachi’s claw attacks, and the vampire used the opening to dig his claws deep into Yosuke’s chest, causing the detective to cry out in pain. Adachi smirked as he pulled out his claws before gripping Yosuke by the collar and lifting him off the ground before slamming him against a tree, knocking the wind out of Yosuke while also bruising him both on his back and on his ribs where Adachi was pressing his arm against his chest in order to hold him in place. Yosuke struggled to break free and did his best to kick at Adachi, but the vampire barely seemed to register his effort. “I’ll make sure to bleed you dry so I don’t repeat that bitch’s mistake who changed me,” Adachi taunted, before gripping Yosuke’s neck, cutting off his airway as he continued to push him against the tree and leaned forward, obviously aiming for his neck.

Before he had a chance to bite down, however, Adachi was suddenly ripped away from Yosuke and tossed against the torii gate of the shrine. He landed against it with a loud crack that caused a small split in the pole to the gate, although the gate managed to hold. Yosuke slid down from the tree, choking and gasping for air, and was surprised when he was caught in a familiar embrace. Yosuke looked up as he struggled for breath, and his eyes widened as he recognized his savior. It was Yu, hair disheveled like he had just been driving in a car with the window down, dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans that looked foreign on him since he was always well-dressed. He was holding Yosuke with a steady hand while staring Adachi down, his expression murderous.

Adachi slowly stood up from where he had fallen after crashing into the gate, and he wiped away a small trickle of blood that was running down his lip from where he had bitten himself during the impact. “And who the hell are you?” he asked. “Don’t you know what he is? He kills our kind.”

Yosuke’s eyes widened as he tore his eyes away from Adachi and trained them on Yu’s face. He had used unnatural strength to pull off Adachi – a vampire – and to throw him with that much force. Yosuke hadn’t seen him arrive either which means his tousled hair may have been from how fast he was running and not from being in his car. Sure enough, when Yosuke looked carefully at Yu’s mouth, he noted the signs of fangs that had become more prominent in Yu’s agitated state. Yosuke gripped Yu’s arm in surprise. He had never once thought his attractive neighbor could be a vampire, but now certain things made sense. Yosuke had never seen Yu go outside during the day, Yu often seemed to move uncannily silently, sometimes when he talked about history it was almost like he had actually been there…

“Stay here. I’ll take care of him,” Yu said, not taking his eyes off of Adachi. He pulled away from Yosuke and stepped forward. Adachi’s jaw clenched and his hand began to reach for his gun.

“Yu, watch out!” Yosuke said, but before he could blink, Yu had suddenly disappeared from his side and he almost seemed to reappear in front of Adachi, where he violently yanked on the other man’s arm and swung him around before throwing him painfully against another tree. In the process, he yanked away Adachi’s gun and dropped it on the ground before disappearing again and re-appearing in front of the other vampire.

“He protects people from monsters like you,” Yu said, before lunging for Adachi again. The other vampire managed to dodge this time, rolling out of the way before jumping up and going in for a counter attack. They then became a blur of activity, moving too fast for Yosuke’s eyes to keep up, although he could tell that Yu definitely seemed to be more powerful out of the two of them. He had probably been a vampire for a long time, since they tended to get more powerful with age.

As they battled each other, Yosuke reached down to touch his chest, wincing when his hand pulled away covered in blood. Both his chest and back were throbbing from where Adachi had pressed him against the tree, and his throat was also sore from where Adachi had been choking him. The worst of it was where his claws had dug into his chest though – the wounds were burning like fire and he could tell he was bleeding pretty profusely again. However… Yosuke looked back at the fight and watched as Yu appeared for a split second before disappearing again. He couldn’t just stand by and leave Yu to fight alone. Yosuke looked around before spotting where he had dropped his gun, and he grimaced before stepping away from the tree he had been leaning on for support, his head swimming from the exertion.

‘You can do it Hanamura,’ he thought to himself before staggering forward toward the gun.

“You must care for him, although I cannot fathom why,” Adachi said, leaping away from another one of Yu’s attacks. He had small scratches that were slowly closing up from where Yu had gotten several claw marks in. “I wonder what brought you here? Was it the sound of me throwing him earlier? The smell of his blood? I bet you were just mad I was going to get to taste it before you had the opportunity.”

Yu let out a growl and leapt at Adachi, hands reaching for his neck as the other vampire dodged with a laugh. “Did you see it as I plunged my hands into his chest? Did you hear him gasping for breath? I would not be surprised if I cracked one of his ribs earlier,” he said smugly, as he dodged Yu’s furious attacks. 

Just as Yosuke finally reached his gun, clenching his teeth as he fought through the pain to bend down in order to pick it up, Adachi sneered, “I was so close to tearing into his neck and ending his pathetic life once and for all. Really it would be doing the world a favor.”

Yosuke looked up in surprise as Yu let out an angry shout, eyes hazy with rage as he ran and leapt at Adachi, who ducked out of the way at the last moment. As Yu had to correct his trajectory as he flew past Adachi and pivoted to turn back toward him, Adachi used the break in the fight to rush toward Yosuke, grabbing him and yanking him in front of him as a shield. Yu began to move menacingly forward, until Adachi began to dig his claws into Yosuke’s arm, causing the detective to swear in pain. Yu stopped, some of the anger fading from his eyes as he looked at Yosuke in concern. Adachi grinned mockingly at Yu, but before he could open up his mouth to taunt him again, there was the sudden sound of a gun firing, and Adachi howled in pain before letting Yosuke go and clutching at his side. Even for a vampire, a point blank gunshot wound was hard to recover from. 

Yosuke stumbled back, gripping his arm and in too much pain to hold his gun steady to fire another shot, but he didn’t need to. He watched as Yu walked up to Adachi, staring at him with cold eyes as Adachi tried his best to crawl away, for he was in too much pain to move as he had been before. Yu reached forward and Yosuke quickly slammed his eyes shut, grimacing as he heard the sound of Yu ripping Adachi’s head from his shoulders. The park once again fell into silence, and Yosuke slowly slid his eyes open, taking in the view of Yu standing with his back turned to him, his hair appearing silver in the moonlight as he stood over Adachi’s crumpled body that was slowly starting to turn to dust. He looked almost ethereal – so different from the Yu that Yosuke had fallen for. That is, until Yosuke noticed the slight tremble in his stance and how Yu, who normally never took his eyes off of him, was looking away for once. ‘Ah, so this is why he’s been nervous,’ Yosuke realized. He was sure Yu had figured out his profession which is why he had probably been holding back for so long. 

Yosuke’s eyes held steady on Yu as he slowly began to make his way forward, ignoring the fiery pain from the claw marks, the dull throbbing pain of his other wounds, and how lightheaded he felt from the blood-loss. There was just one thing on his mind now and he wasn’t going to let his injuries hold him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that you've made it through this chapter, I wanted to share art I had commissioned from Ash/yourashenone for this story: https://twitter.com/lifeinochrasy/status/1228155865636556806?s=20 It's a bit of a spoiler for next chapter and I do want to give a warning that it will show blood based on Yosuke's current condition. It's a gorgeous illustration however and I do hope you check it out if it's something you can handle!


	14. You Give Love a Bad Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yu takes care of Yosuke after the fight with Adachi.

Yu stared down at the former detective’s disintegrating body, his mind blank as the blind rage began to ebb away from his mind.As it cleared, he was struck with only hurried moments and sensations from the past 10 minutes – the fear when he smelled Yosuke’s blood, the panicked rush to get to him in time, the consuming anger as he saw Adachi pinning him to the tree and the condition he was in.Things had for the most part become blank after that, as was typical when a vampire slipped into a frenzy, although he had a vague memory of Yosuke gripping his arm after Adachi revealed what he was.

Suddenly, a hand was placed on Yu’s shoulder, grounding him back into the present as he flinched in surprise.He was struck by the overwhelming smell of Yosuke’s blood, so strong up close that it almost made him gag, but before he could try to assess his wounds or care for him, Yosuke gently stepped past him and pulled out one of the talismans he carried from the Amagi shrine before placing it on Adachi’s body while saying a little prayer for those he had victimized.Adachi’s body dissolved away much more rapidly after that, until all that remained was a fine pile of dust.

Yosuke then turned to face him, a bright smile spreading across his face over the fact that they had made it somehow – they had won!His eyes locked with Yu’s, brown eyes drawing him in as Yosuke stepped forward toward him until he stumbled, his body weak from his blood loss and injuries.Not for the first time, Yu dashed forward in an instant and caught Yosuke in his arms before carefully lowering him to the ground as he cradled him.His eyes roamed Yosuke’s body, looking for every injury inflicted upon him by his stalker, eyes wide with worry, until Yosuke reached up to touch his face.

Yu’s eyes returned to Yosuke’s and his heart ached at his tender gaze.“’m alright, you saved me,” Yosuke mumbled, his eyes warm but growing lidded as he struggled to stay awake.

Yu brushed Yosuke’s bangs out of his face.Yosuke’s shirt was soaked with blood and Yu was worried.“Yosuke,” Yu said softly, capturing his attention.Yosuke blinked, his eyes gaining focus again as he stared back at him.

“Yeah?” he asked.

“If I give you some of my blood, it’ll help you heal faster.Is…that ok?” Yu asked hesitantly.Before he had made the decision for Yosuke, but now he was worried as to what his response would be.

“That really works?” Yosuke asked curiously, and Yu nodded his head.“Well then, what are you waiting for?”Yosuke gave Yu a small grin, reminiscent of the flirty one from a few nights ago, and Yu’s heart clenched at the sight.Even in this condition, Yosuke was trying to put him at ease, and Yu was struck again by how gorgeous he was.

To Yosuke’s surprise, Yu bit his lip, causing a small stream of blood to flow before lowering his head while bracing Yosuke’s head in his arms.He waited, eyes asking for permission, and Yosuke reached up to grip Yu’s shirt in order to pull him closer.Yu lowered his head, eyes sliding shut as his lips finally brushed Yosuke’s.Yosuke met him eagerly, and his lips parted in order to take in the taste of Yu’s blood while also inviting Yu to deepen the kiss, which he did slowly and carefully, head swimming over how much he had wanted this and how overwhelmed he felt now that it was actually happening.

It had been a long time since Yu had last kissed anybody, and he couldn’t remember ever feeling so entranced before, losing himself in the heat and the taste of Yosuke’s mouth, all of his senses trained on Yosuke as they clung to one another. His hand not clutching Yosuke against him began to run down his arm, until it came across another blood soaked spot which caused Yu to freeze and suddenly pull away.Yosuke’s dazed eyes looked at him with a mix of confusion and disappointment mixed with longing before his eyes finally slid close and he passed out in Yu’s arms.His color was already starting to look a bit better, however, and Yu knew that his wounds would finally begin to scab over and stop the flow of blood.

Yu stared down at Yosuke’s sleeping face, and his chest clenched in pain as realization struck.He suddenly remembered Adachi’s voice taunting him about how he had harmed Yosuke and how the words had only fueled his rage even more.It had led to Yu losing control of the situation and giving Adachi an opening to once again endanger Yosuke.Adachi had dug his claws into his neighbor, causing the bloodstains that had once again soaked into his jacket.‘I lost control,’ Yu thought, having flashbacks to some of his earlier years as a vampire.It had been a long time since he had allowed himself to fall into a frenzy, but it seemed around Yosuke his usual strong grip on himself seemed to falter.Yu felt sick.He remembered his confident thoughts, on how he would change Yosuke’s mind about vampires if he did have a prejudice, and realized that if he did in fact have a prejudice, although doubtful based on his reaction to the news, that maybe he would be right to.Even now, even though his hunger was sated, the smell of Yosuke’s blood was overwhelming and tugging at his senses and his instincts.It was only his years of self-control that kept him in check.

Yu’s heart felt heavy as he stood up, cradling Yosuke in his arms and carefully nestling his head against his shoulder as he slowly made his way back to their apartment.This time he took his time; he knew with his blood Yosuke would be ok and would be able to more rapidly recover, and he wanted to cherish the remaining time they had together.With each step closer to their home, Yu resolved that he would step away from Yosuke’s life, believing that the detective deserved better than someone like him.Pain clawed at his chest at the idea, and Yu knew that leaving Yosuke would hurt the detective who had chosen to open up to him after experiencing heartache over others leaving him, but at this point Yu wasn’t sure if he could trust himself around him.Yosuke’s safety was more important than their feelings in his book.

‘It’s a good thing I took the sabbatical,’ Yu thought dully, feeling disappointment when he finally spotted their apartment building in the distance.When they arrived, Yu was able to easily leap up to Yosuke’s balcony, finding it unsurprisingly unlocked due to the fact he was three stories up, before slipping them into Yosuke’s room.Yu tried his best not to allow his eyes to wander, to take in such an intimate part of Yosuke’s life, since he was no longer going to be a part of it.So instead of marveling at the band posters adorning his walls, the untouched guitar in the corner due to Yosuke being too busy to play, the shelves of music, and his work materials scattered throughout the room, Yu instead carefully set Yosuke down on the bed before looking around for his medical supplies and some pajamas to change him into.He found sweats and a t-shirt where it had been tossed next to the bed and figured it’s what his neighbor usually slept in, and he soon recovered Yosuke’s medical kit which was stashed on one of his shelves and fortunately had some of that salve that was effective on vampire inflicted wounds inside.

Yu began to undress Yosuke, treating and cleaning his wounds with careful fingers since he didn’t want to cause him anymore pain.Then after all of his wounds were cleaned and dressed, Yu gently dressed Yosuke in his pajamas before tucking him into his bed, sitting with him awhile longer and reluctant to leave his side since this time it would be for good.Yosuke’s eyebrows furrowed in his sleep, almost as if he sensed Yu’s intentions unconsciously, and Yu leaned forward and pressed his lips onto Yosuke’s forehead, soothing Yosuke in his sleep and allowing the detective to return to his peaceful slumber.“Goodbye,” Yu said softly, before standing up and heading back out to the balcony.

He closed the door behind him before dropping down to his own apartment.He tried to ignore the suffocating, paralyzing pain that was threatening to wash over him, knowing he had to leave now or else he would be too weak to refrain from facing Yosuke again.He quickly packed a bag with some essentials before sending a text message to Teddie letting him know about Yosuke’s condition and sending another to Rise informing her that he would be crashing at her place for a little bit and would explain why when he got there.He then powered off his phone before leaving it in his apartment, not wanting to deal with the temptation holding onto it would bring.It’s not like work would be bothering him on his sabbatical or like he had other people he really kept in touch with outside of Rise.Yu then stepped outside and locked the door behind him, vaguely wondering if he would be returning again, before shaking his head clear.

‘This is for the best,’ he reminded himself again, before heading down the stairs and to his car.He avoided looking back at the third floor, although deep in his heart he wanted to, wanted to return and stay by Yosuke’s side as he recovered.‘I’m sorry,’ he thought as he drove away.


	15. Faithfully

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yosuke wakes up only to find that Yu has disappeared.

When Yosuke started to come to, he was all too cognizant of the now familiar itchy feeling of wounds that had freshly scabbed along with the aches and pain that meant he needed another application of the salve and a painkiller. Yosuke groaned as he sat up, grimacing as he felt his scabbed wounds pull at the bandages he was wrapped in, and feeling his head swim at the exertion. His mind felt fuzzy, and he slowly tried to piece together how he got back to his room. The last thing he remembered was being in Yu’s arms and then… Yosuke flushed and move his hand up to his mouth in surprise. That kiss! They had finally kissed! 

Yosuke felt giddy as he got up and looked around his room, as if expecting to see Yu there waiting patiently for him. He felt a little disappointed by his lack of presence, but then figured maybe he was making him food again like he had last time. He gingerly got out of bed, hand clutching at his chest as he winced from the pain; although the vampire blood had sped up the healing, his ribs still felt sore from the fight. Yosuke hobbled slowly to his door and flung it open, blinking at the bright sunlight coming from the open window and realizing that there was no way Yu could be in such a bright room. “Yosuke, why are you up?!” Teddie’s shrill voice called from the living room as Teddie leapt off the couch. “Do you know how worried I was when I got sensei’s text last night? You promised – you promised you wouldn’t get hurt again!” Teddie was near tears as he headed over to usher his cousin back into his room to rest, but Yosuke impatiently pushed past him and headed toward the door.

“Yosuke, where are you going?” Teddie asked, as he tried to grab his cousin to stop him. Even with his injuries, Yosuke was still stronger than his cousin and managed to pull away and continue on his projected path. Teddie followed him anxiously, looking nervous as Yosuke headed down the stairs and moved to knock on Yu’s door. Silence followed. Yosuke began to knock more loudly and when he didn’t hear movement from inside he felt his patience begin to wear thin.

“Hey, Yu, open up!” he shouted, an uneasy feeling starting to form in his gut. There was no reason a vampire wouldn’t be in their house during the day – why was Yu avoiding him? Suddenly, Yosuke felt a tug on his arm, and he looked down to see Teddie’s serious expression.

“I don’t think sensei’s there,” he said, and Yosuke blinked at him in surprise.

“What? Why?” he asked.

“Let’s go back upstairs,” Teddie replied, “before you disturb the neighbors.” He grabbed Yosuke’s arm insistently in order to get him to head back upstairs. Yosuke moved slower this time, for he was suddenly aware of the pain now that his purpose and drive had been torn away. Once they were back inside, Yosuke plopped on the couch, suddenly feeling numb. Something wasn’t right.

Teddie hurried into his room to grab his first aid kit before heading back out to swap out his bandages and re-apply the salve before grabbing him some Tylenol and water. Yosuke sipped it down before looking at Teddie with a dull look in his eyes. “If Yu’s not there then…where is he?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Teddie said. “Sensei sent me a text last night saying he had brought you home but I didn’t see him bring you in and I didn’t see him leave. When I tried to text him back he never replied and his phone was going straight to voicemail…”

Yosuke’s face blanched. “Get me my phone,” he begged, and Teddie hurried to Yosuke’s room before pulling it out from his jeans. He then brought it back out to Yosuke who quickly dialed Yu only to get the same result. “What the hell,” Yosuke said, a mystified look on his face.

At that same moment, the door to their apartment suddenly unlocked with Chie and Yukiko bursting in right afterward; they both shared a key to the apartment just in case. Chie took one look at Yosuke’s bandaged body and fumed. “Just what the hell did you do this time, Hanamura?” she demanded, while Yukiko placed a calming hand on her shoulder. She also looked pretty upset, however.

“I was being stalked by a vampire,” Yosuke explained dully, his head too wrapped up in Yu’s disappearance to fully recognize their concern. Chie’s brows furrowed and she and Yukiko looked curiously at Teddie who sadly shook his head.

“Yosuke-kun, what’s going on?” Yukiko asked gently, and Yosuke let out a sigh. He looked pretty defeated. 

“The vampire who attacked me was a detective named Tohru Adachi,” he explained. Chie’s eyes widened in shock.

“That fucker,” she swore, her hands clenching into fists. “He was a vampire this entire time?”

Yosuke shook his head. “Remember, he got attacked recently by a woman. Naoto was working on the case,” he replied. “She must have turned him.”

“So, Tohru-san…?” Chie asked.

“He’s dead,” Yosuke replied. “I was saved by Yu.”

“Yu-san saved you?” Yukiko asked in surprise. Yosuke nodded.

“Hold up, how did a normal guy save you?” Chie asked.

“He’s not a normal guy,” Yosuke replied. “He’s also a vampire. And…we kind of…” Yosuke stammered. “We kissed last night,” he finally admitted. Both Chie and Yukiko exchanged looks of joy while Teddie looked even more crestfallen. “And I passed out, and he must have taken me home and dressed my wounds. But now,” Yosuke said, punching his fist into the couch pillow. “Now he’s just disappeared on me!”

Things were quiet for a moment. Yukiko was the first to speak up. “Yosuke-kun,” she started, capturing his attention. “Think about it from Yu-san’s perspective.” Yosuke looked up at her, eyes desperate. “He’s a vampire – you’re a vampire hunter. You know how some of the other hunters in your field can be.” Yukiko’s family provided blessings for all of them, so she had encountered the variety of opinions held by the force. “He probably left because he’s scared of how you feel now that you’ve found out.”

“That’s bullshit,” Yosuke said. “We kissed last night, dammit! Shouldn’t that be enough? Did he not trust me enough to give me a chance?” Yosuke’s voice was thick with grief, and he punched the pillow again with another weak, “Dammit…” Teddie sat down next to him on the couch, obviously torn between hugging his cousin and trying to avoid pressing against his wounds, while Chie and Yukiko looked at one another, having a silent conversation with their gazes. Finally, Chie broke the tense silence by rapping her knuckles on Yosuke’s head. Yosuke glared at her while rubbing where she had smacked him.

“Are you really giving up this easily?” she asked. “You’re a detective for Christ’s sake!”

Yosuke blinked in surprise. “Who said anything about giving up?” he finally replied, and a fire lit up in his eyes with determination. “You’re right, I’ll find him and force him to tell me why he ran away. I’ll make him see that I’m not like those other hunters!”

Chie and Yukiko grinned while Teddie looked relieved. “That looks more like the dumbass I know,” Chie said fondly, while Yosuke stuck his tongue out at her. “But you won’t be going anywhere today. One day of bed rest and then you can start looking for your vampire boyfriend.”

Yosuke looked like he was about to complain, but he shied away when he saw Yukiko glaring daggers at him. “Sounds like a plan,” he said meekly. 

“Well, now that we know what the heck is going on…I guess I’ll let Kanji know you’re ok and get the paperwork filed to put you back on medical leave,” Chie said with a groan. “Making me work on my day off…”

“I really owe you one,” Yosuke said, giving her a rare warm smile. Usually their relationship was wrought with bickering, so a soft moment between them was a rare thing.

“You can thank me by treating us to a nice steak dinner once you’re healed up and have found your man,” Chie said with a wink. She then headed out to the precinct while Yukiko ordered them take out and began to usher Yosuke back to his room so he could rest. She then helped Teddie with some chores around the apartment, helping to clean up the mess from the medical supplies and making sure they had what they would need with Yosuke having to stay home again for awhile. 

Yosuke, meanwhile, began to think through a plan on how he would try to find Yu. He would probably start with his work and try the history museum first, before traveling to some of the places they had been to together to see if they were places he frequented often and if the patrons knew a lot about him. Fortunately, as a detective he could use that to his advantage to try to get people to talk. He would also try to find other people who knew Yu such as Rise and Ai and see if they could help him find Yu’s whereabouts; it would be difficult to reach out to people as famous as they were, but maybe someone like one of Yu’s coworkers would be able to give him a tip. While he was planning, Yukiko brought him the take out and he ate while Teddie hovered around him, obviously fretting over his condition until Yosuke shooed him away, stating he needed to rest.

Once Yosuke was satisfied with his plan, he took another Tylenol before deciding to take a nap, figuring he would need the energy as he started his search in the morning. After a day of rest, Yosuke woke up bright and early the next day and headed to the history museum. He wanted to get there right at opening so he could take a look around. Yu obviously wouldn’t be there during the day, but Yosuke may be able to find out when he typically showed up to try to corner him on his way in or his way out.

Once Yosuke stepped inside, his eyes caught a sign showcasing a special exhibit that had just launched. The picture they used to highlight the exhibit looked familiar, and when Yosuke leaned closer to the sign to read the fine print next to the picture he suddenly realized why. It was a scroll that was usually in the tea room where the Amagi family entertained clients. Yosuke vaguely remembered the day he ran into Yu at the shrine and how he had been picking something up for an exhibit – this must have been the exhibit he had been telling Yosuke about off and on. Before Yosuke could even think, he found himself heading toward the exhibit, thoughts about interrogating Yu’s coworkers dissolving as he stepped into the room where it was being held. The theme was on miko rituals, specifically to protect against demons, and as Yosuke’s eyes gazed over the room holding the exhibit, he was struck by how much the design and layout felt like Yu’s apartment. Obviously, the room was much bigger than any of the rooms at their apartment complex, but the use of modern design to showcase the antiques, the moody lighting, and the well spaced organization and comfortable seating throughout for people to sit and take in the exhibit or watch some of the demonstrations planned throughout the day reminded him strongly of his neighbor.

Yosuke’s heart clamored in his chest as he walked around, looking at the artifacts and reading the descriptions about how they were used in rituals or in blessings as forms of protection against demons. As Yosuke began to read the descriptions about demons, he was struck by the fact they seemed eerily similar to his experiences with vampires. ‘I guess it makes sense,’ he thought to himself as he carefully looked at and read each inscription that Yu had painstakingly put together. Fortunately, since it was the early morning on a weekday there wasn’t really anyone else there to disturb him so he was able to peacefully take his time and take it all in. He felt like he was seeing another side of Yu he didn’t usually get to see – the Yu he saw was sexy and charming, and while Yosuke knew he was intelligent it was something completely different to see the outcome of his work. He wished Yu were there with him to show off his favorite pieces or to go more in depth with a personal tour, and Yosuke let out a sigh. ‘I wonder if he planned to take me here once it was finished,’ he thought. The museum often had after hours events so it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. 

Yosuke shook his head before heading to the front desk, flashing his badge and preparing for his line of questioning before he got hit with another piece of shocking news – Yu was on a sabbatical and would be gone for at least a month. And no one knew where he was since he hadn’t said anything beyond asking for the time off. Yosuke left the museum feeling defeated as his wounds screamed in pain at him; he had been on his feet too long and needed to stop for another re-dressing of his wounds and another painkiller. While it had been nice to see Yu’s exhibit, he was no closer to finding his enigmatic neighbor which was frustrating.

After relaxing at home, Yosuke began to make his way to some of the places he knew Yu had frequented. He went to the Amagi shrine to see if maybe Yukiko’s parents had been in contact with Yu recently. While they hadn’t been, they had nothing but nice things to say about him, and talked about all of the times he had volunteered to help out at the shrine and helped restore and preserve some of the family heirlooms and artifacts. He then went to some of the restaurants they had been to together before trying some places that were open late at night that he thought Yu may go. Several of the shops and bars did seem to recognize Yu, although some remembered him from awhile back, cementing the fact that Yu was ageless. Every single one had positive encounters with the vampire who seemed to touch people’s lives wherever he went. Yosuke ended his search at the piano bar, where the bartender pointed out that Yosuke was the first person he had ever seen Yu bring with him. Usually he sat in a table by the corner and unlike other patrons he tended to listen to other’s stories and provide advice instead of spilling his own. He also tipped very well and the bartender not so subtly asked when he and Yosuke would be visiting together again.

Yosuke left, still without a good lead although with a better understanding of the man he had fallen for. He had already known of Yu’s kindness through his treatment of Teddie, but it was surprising to find out just how many people he had influenced in their community. Although Yosuke protected them from harm, he wondered if he could say he had impacted the community in quite the same way. He was somehow doubtful.

Yosuke heaved a sigh before returning home with convenience store food to share with Teddie. He was surprised to find Teddie still out when he got home, and checked his phone to find out his cousin was out doing a study group for an upcoming exam. Yosuke put his food in the fridge for later after texting him to let him know he was safely home and sending yet another message to Yu, asking how he was doing and hoping for a reply. So far, every single one had gone unread. Yosuke heaved a sigh before plopping on the couch, trying to do his best to ignore how itchy his scabs felt as he chowed down on his katsu curry. While he ate, he pulled up his phone and tried to search for Yu, finding that beyond his page on the history museum’s site there wasn’t much else out there about him. Yosuke frowned before trying Rise instead, and he began to scroll through articles about her, trying to see if he could catch a glimpse of Yu in any of them. He continued to dig through articles as he ate, until he spotted someone completely unexpected in one of the pictures.

Yosuke quickly switched over to his phone dial and pulled up Naoto’s name, and as the phone began to ring he sat up straight in his seat. “Yosuke-sempai, how are you doing?” Naoto asked worriedly. She had heard about his encounter from Chie and had been trying to figure out how to wrap up Adachi’s case since he had disappeared and there really wasn’t a point anymore.

“’m fine,” Yosuke replied. “I have a question and a potential favor to ask though.”

Naoto seemed puzzled, “What is it?” she asked.

“Do you have Kujikawa Rise’s number?” Yosuke said, his heart pounding in his chest.

“Ah,” Naoto replied, obviously starting to piece together his odd behavior. “Chie-sempai did mention that you were looking for Narukami-san,” she murmured. 

“Do you ha…” Yosuke started to impatiently ask again, and Naoto let out a little chuckle.

“I do in fact have Rise-san’s number. I check up on her on time to time to see how she’s doing.” Naoto had worked a stalking case for Rise early on in her career; the article Yosuke had seen had a picture of them both standing together as Rise was fielding questions about the case; she had a fan that had been stalking her, and Naoto had caught him breaking into Rise’s condo and arrested him. “What message would you like me to pass along?”

“I want to know if she knows where Yu is. And if she’d be able to help us meet up,” Yosuke replied. “Please, help me out.” Yosuke had an anxious lilt to his tone that Naoto had never heard before, and she was taken aback.

“For you sempai, I will,” she replied. Besides, knowing Rise’s temperament, she would probably be more than happy to help out.

“I owe you one!” Yosuke replied, overcome with joy. “Let me know what she says. I’ll come up with a plan.” Yosuke seemed confident that Rise would not only know where Yu was, but would also help out, and Naoto couldn’t help but smile over his enthusiasm. She hoped everything worked out for Yosuke – he had seemed pretty smitten with his neighbor and deserved to be happy.


	16. The Flame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yu wallows over his decision to leave Yosuke while Rise gets fed up over it.

“I don’t even feel sorry for you! You can mope here forever for all I care! You did this to yourself – this is the reason why we broke up!” Rise’s words still stung even though it had probably been over a day since she had said them; Yu had quickly lost track of time in the pitch black of his guest room which was practically bigger than his whole apartment. 

Yu honestly never felt comfortable visiting Rise’s condo – it was too big and lacked the sounds of his neighbors and the city bustling around him that usually provided comfort. But there was nowhere else he could think to go on such short notice. He had thought at first Rise may provide comfort, and she had when he had arrived looking distraught until she had found out the reason why. Then she had lost all sympathy for him and left him to his pity party as she had called it after laying it into him. Yu had embraced it at the time – when he was already feeling so miserable having someone else point out his faults and feed that misery had only cemented the fact he was doing the right thing by leaving. Yu tended to become self-destructive when he got into these moods which was the actual reason Rise had broken up with him, and instead of coming to that realization he had ignored what she had said and latched onto her anger and directed it at himself to perpetuate his misery.

Now, however, he had gotten to the point where he was numb. In the first several hours of lying motionless, sprawled across the massive king sized bed that still managed to barely fill the room, his mind had been occupied with thoughts of Yosuke, wondering how he was doing, how he was recovering, if he had woken up yet, if he had realized Yu was gone. He had felt pain, over leaving, over betraying Yosuke’s trust, while spiraling over the fact it was for the best, he would have only endangered Yosuke more, he was losing control over himself, his need to protect at war over his feelings for the detective and what was the right course of action to take. Rise’s tirade had only fueled that spiral, until he had become too exhausted to think on it anymore and had slipped into an apathetic state. The last time he had been like this it had taken months to recover. That had only happened once he had finally made the decision to live again and had reached out to Rise, who had been willing to help once he had set his self-destructive behavior aside. He wasn’t so sure if he would get that same help this time.

Yu’s numb melancholy was broken as he picked up on Rise talking excitedly on the phone in the other room. He thought he overheard Yosuke’s name which was why he had suddenly been broken from his state. He wanted to hear what she was saying, but was also too exhausted to move closer to where he would be able to listen in. Suddenly, she was quiet again, and Yu prepared himself to slip back into emptiness until moments later his door was flung open, trailing in light from the hallway and causing him to squeeze his eyes shut in reaction. “Alright, it’s time for you to get over it,” Rise declared, surprising Yu. She flicked on the light in his room, flooding it as the multiple overhead lights and lamps all came on at once. Yu rubbed at his eyes in confusion, wondering why Rise suddenly wanted to help him again; he thought after what had happened last time she would know how pointless it was.

“No,” Yu replied sullenly, gripping one of the pillows on the bed like it would anchor him there.

Rise let out a huff before going over to the walk in closet and shuffling through it. She kept clothes for him in there that were appropriate for some of the functions she dragged him off to or things from his past he didn’t want to get rid of but didn’t have space for at his own place. Yu warily watched from the bed as he heard her shuffling around in there, obviously looking for something. She then stepped out holding a sky blue, tight fitting v-neck long sleeve she had always said looked great on him along with a pair of designer jeans. She tossed it on the bed at him before placing her hands on her hips. “You’re going to shower and you’re going to put that on before we’re going out on the town tonight,” she demanded. “And if you’re not going to do it willingly, I will make you.” Yu paled. Rise may be smaller than him, but she embraced the vampire lifestyle and even had a few hosts willing to allow her to drink their blood. She was much more powerful than he was as a result and if she decided to get aggressive there was nothing he would be able to do about it.

“Why?” he asked, looking defeated and a bit ridiculous with his messy hair and dead expression.

Rise let out a sigh. “You made your choice – now you have to live with it. Emphasis on live. It’s not fair to Yosuke otherwise.” She held her tongue on how unfair it was to the detective to make a choice without getting his opinion first, knowing that right now it would just send them backwards and not accomplish anything. Hearing Yosuke’s name had seemed to capture Yu’s attention, and he slowly mulled over her words.

“Fine,” he finally said, reluctantly moving from the bed and scooping up the clothes she had tossed at him. He slowly made his way to the bathroom attached to his suite, closing the door behind him. It was silent for a few moments until Rise began to hear the sound of water spraying and felt relief flood her. Yu looked terrible – worse than he did after his last breakup – and she had been seriously worried about his recovery. That is until she had gotten a phone call from a rather unexpected source earlier. Rise gripped her phone in her hand. She knew what she was doing was a bit underhanded, but she also knew it was the right thing. After speaking to Naoto and realizing that Yosuke was desperately looking for Yu, she had known that she needed to arrange a meeting between the two of them. Getting Yu to the meeting was the difficult part.

Once Yu stepped out of the bathroom, looking gorgeous in the clothes she had picked out even with his exhaustion, Rise perked up. “Alright, darling, I know just the place to go. This should cheer you right up!” She flashed him her mega-watt smile, the one that had gotten her into the fashion industry, before linking arms with him and forcing him out the door. Her driver was already waiting downstairs with the car, ready to take them to their destination. Once in the car, Rise began texting with someone, leaving Yu to his own thoughts.

He stared out the window, watching the traffic of the city as it flowed around them, hoping Rise wouldn’t keep him out long that night. He was going along with it, but it was unwillingly and he knew there was no way it was going to change his mood. Sometimes humoring Rise was safer than trying to fight her though, especially when she had decided to be stubborn about it. Plus, her words, ‘It’s not fair to Yosuke otherwise’ really had sunk in. Yosuke probably didn’t want to see him sulking, he realized, and would be upset if he knew how Yu had been acting. Guilt gnawed at him, and he let out a sigh. “Just where are we going anyway?” he finally asked, turning to look at Rise. She glanced up from her phone before giving him a disarming smile that couldn’t help but worry him.

“It’s a surprise,” she said before returning back to her phone. He wondered suddenly who she was furiously texting and frowned. Finally, after about half an hour, they arrived at their destination. Before Yu had a chance to really look at the part of the city they were in, the driver opened the door and Yu stepped out. That’s when his eyes settled upon a familiar bar and he began to feel a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, especially when Rise’s car suddenly pulled away without her getting out after him. Yu was hit with the sudden scent of citrus as a voice asked, “Not running away again, are you?” from behind him. Yu felt his heart stop, both from anticipation and dread as he froze. He had been set up.


	17. I Won't Give Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yosuke and Yu discuss Yu's disappearance.

Yosuke’s heart thrummed in anticipation as he paced across the street from the bar he frequented in college. He had been steadily texting Rise after Naoto had given her his number, and he would have been struck with the irony of how past Yosuke would have been in awe of having his favorite model’s number if his mind wasn’t so occupied with thoughts of Yu. He just hoped their plan worked. Suddenly, his phone dinged again with a warning that they were five minutes away, and it seemed only moments later a car pulled up matching the description Rise had given him with tinted windows making it impossible to see the people in the back. A man stepped out from the front of the car and moved around to open the back door, and Yosuke began to make his way across the street as Yu stepped out of the car. Although it had only been a few days since he had last seen him, Yosuke was struck again by how gorgeous he was, especially in the sky blue long-sleeve that clung to his body and showed off how muscular he was; clearly, Yu’s normal suits did not do them justice.

As Yosuke drew closer and was able to get a better look at Yu’s face though, he felt his stomach clench painfully. Yu looked drained and lifeless, and completely unlike the warm person he had been steadily falling for. If leaving Yosuke had made him look that awful, then Yosuke was beginning to feel better about his decision to confront him. Clearly being apart was no good for him either, and Yosuke would just need to convince him of that. Yosuke noted the car begin to pull away as his phone buzzed with another message, more than likely Rise wishing him luck. He saw Yu’s expression change into one of horror as he realized where he was, and Yosuke worried for a moment that he would simply run away before they had a chance to talk; Yosuke had seen how fast Yu could move – there was no way he would be able to stop him. So, he spoke up.

“Not running away again, are you?” he asked, voice a bit sharp from the anxiety he had been feeling since Yu had left.

Yu flinched, before slowly turning to face him. “Yosuke,” he said, breathing in his name, and Yosuke watched as a flurry of emotions flickered over his face as his eyes took in his healing injuries that were not covered by his red orange and white striped sweater and black jeans; Yosuke’s leather jacket would need to be repaired yet again. Yosuke didn’t wait for Yu’s brain to finish processing, and instead he moved forward and grabbed the sleeve of his shirt before dragging him into the bar. Daisuke was absent that evening, but Kou was working as usual.

“Hey, sitting at the bar tonight or at a table?” Kou called, before he seemed to catch onto the mood. He watched as Yosuke silently pulled Yu over to the same table they had sat at the last time they were there – where Yosuke had confessed Yu was someone special to him, before going over to the bar to whisper some instructions to Kou. Kou listened quietly before nodding and going to prepare them the beers they had the last time they had been by.

Yosuke then took his seat across from Yu before staring back at him. They were both silent for a few moments, trying to come up with what to say, until Kou set down their beers before returning to the bar to give them space. Yu was the first to speak. “How did you find me?” he asked.

Yosuke let out a long sigh. “I happen to be a damn good detective,” he said, taking a sip of his drink. “I also happen to be very fortunate Detective Shirogane happens to know your ex.” Yu vaguely remembered the name, and knew that early on in her modeling career Rise had a stalker fan that the detective had helped her with. Rise could have easily handled him on her own, but didn’t want anything leaking about her true nature and had been fortunate to be paired with such a competent detective who had believed her and had apprehended the culprit as he had been braking into her apartment. That must have been the detective he had seen drop Yosuke off occasionally; figured they would know each other since they were both good at what they did.

“Do you know that I’ve been looking all over for you?” Yosuke finally asked, unable to hold back his frustration. “Why would you just leave me like that?” Yosuke brought his hand up to his chest. “Don’t you have more trust in me?”

Yu reached forward and grabbed Yosuke’s free hand, gripping it tightly so he wouldn’t pull away, but making sure to avoid his full strength so as to not hurt him. “It’s not you that I didn’t trust,” he said. His hand was trembling, and Yosuke looked at him in surprise, his anger ebbing away as he saw how distraught Yu looked.

“Then what was it?” he asked.

“I’ve lost trust in myself,” Yu admitted before looking down. Yosuke’s brows furrowed and he waited for Yu to continue. “One thing I’ve prided myself on for such a long time is my self-control,” he admitted. “I’ve been a vampire for a long time. I’ve long gotten past the stage where I feel blood lust. Even when hungry, I don’t worry about falling into a frenzy. But, ever since I met you…” Yu let out a sigh. “That control has been slipping. I’ve found myself tapping into my abilities without even realizing it. I’ve been overwhelmed by the scent of your blood. I allowed myself to fall into anger during that fight and it blinded me to Tohru’s intentions and it got you hurt…”

“You saved me though,” Yosuke spoke up, squeezing Yu’s hand. Yu looked up at him in surprise. “And I’ve never once felt unsafe with you around – in fact, quite the opposite. I’m pretty sure if you were going to lose control around me you would have done so by now in the states you’ve found me in. I feel just as safe around you as I would around Chie or Ted or Kanji,” he admitted. “Hell, even more now that I’ve seen what you can do.” He gave Yu a lopsided, encouraging smile, and Yu felt some of that pain he had been feeling ever since he had left ease in his heart.

“Were you really running around everywhere looking for me? You should have been resting with those injuries,” he finally said, and Yosuke let out a laugh.

“I guess if you can nag me then you must be feeling better,” he said. Kou came out with a plate of the fried chicken that Yosuke liked so much, and looked between the both of them.

“Looks like you made up – good,” he said. “First round is on the house tonight.” He gave Yosuke a wink before heading back to the bar, and Yosuke flushed a little before looking at Yu. 

“I did. I went to your work and saw your amazing exhibit and realized all the work you probably put into it. I went to every store, every bar, every restaurant that I thought you may frequent. I talked to Yukiko’s parents. I found out about all the people you’ve helped, all the lives you’ve touched, and quite frankly I think I’m more in love with you now that I was before.” Yosuke was blushing furiously at his admission, but he was looking at Yu seriously to show how real his feelings were. “After hearing all of those wonderful stories, how could I not?”

Yosuke’s eyes stared searchingly at Yu’s as the other man stared at him silently. Yu appeared to be speechless, and Yosuke couldn’t read his expression. He bit his lip, trying to come up with more words to convince the other man. “Do you remember the last time we were here, what I told you about what this place means to me?” Yosuke asked. Yu nodded. “My feelings haven’t changed. You’re still special to me, and I still think I made the right decision in bringing you here.” Yosuke stared adamantly at Yu, hoping to get his feelings through to him, and was surprised when Yu suddenly leaned forward, bracing his hand not holding Yosuke’s on the table as he firmly pressed their lips together.

Yosuke gasped in surprise, and Yu used the opening to deepen the kiss, sliding his tongue into Yosuke’s mouth as he hungrily kissed him. It was as if he was trying to feed Yosuke all the words he couldn’t say directly mouth to mouth, and Yosuke accepted them breathlessly. Once he pulled away, his eyes bored into Yosuke, showing him all of his admiration and love as they replaced the feelings of pain that had been hidden behind his neutral façade moments ago. “I love you, too much it seems,” Yu replied honestly. “I do remember the significance of this place. I had been happy, but conflicted, when you had chosen to bring me here. From now on, I’ll make sure you don’t regret picking me.” Yu’s eyes were clear and determined, and Yosuke’s heart skipped a beat. It was a good look on him.

“I never did for a second,” he said with a grin.

Yu moved over to sit closer to Yosuke, their hands still tightly clasped as they continued to gaze at each other, totally forgetting everyone else in the bar. “Our next date will be on me,” he promised. “I still have a lot I need to make up to you.”

“It better be something really good then,” Yosuke said cheekily, before finally moving to take a bite of fried chicken and sighing over how good it was. Yu chuckled before sliding his beer over and popping in a blood tablet – he realized for the first time how hungry he was since he hadn’t taken one in quite awhile.

“I’ll be sure to surprise you,” he replied, planning on using the rest of his sabbatical to pamper Yosuke as he recovered. He would also have to figure out a way to make things up to Rise who had yet again helped him out. For now, though, he would enjoy Yosuke’s company and their newfound, mutual relationship.


	18. Rebel Yell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yu finally has his date with Yosuke. This chapter is NSFW.

After dinner, Yu realized just how exhausted Yosuke was and his heart clenched as he recognized Yosuke struggle to get out of his chair due to the injuries he was recovering from. Yu swiftly stood up and offered his arm, suddenly regretting not having his phone on him so he could call up a taxi. ‘If only I had my car,’ he thought with a frown.

Yosuke, meanwhile, patted his arm as if to reassure him. “I ordered us a ride home. Normally I’d take the train but…I think that would be a bit difficult for me right now,” he confessed. He gave Yu a tired smile, and the vampire felt his heart melt. Yosuke waved at his friend the bartender, who waved back before watching as they headed out the door. Yu could tell his eyes were trained on him, the friend no doubt studying him after bearing witness to their confession earlier. Yosuke spotted the car and they made their way over before Yu helped Yosuke climb in.

“You’re joining, right?” Yosuke asked, looking nervous, and Yu quickly slid into the seat next to him.

“I think it’s about time I return home,” he replied, and the detective looked relieved. As the driver took them back to their apartment, Yu studied Yosuke. The detective had one hand over his chest and had slid his eyes closed, not because he was falling asleep, but due how sore he was feeling. Yu slid closer, conscious of what the driver may think but not really caring as he pulled Yosuke to lean on his shoulder before reaching up to run his fingers through his hair. Yosuke relaxed against him, and Yu felt some of the tension ease from the other man at his gentle caress. 

“Feels good,” Yosuke said softly, and Yu placed a soft kiss to the top of his head.

By the time they got to their apartment, Yosuke actually did pass out, and Yu upon realizing Yosuke had already paid through the app said his thanks to the driver before lifting Yosuke onto his back and slowly making his way upstairs. He moved carefully, not wanting to jostle Yosuke awake since the detective needed his rest. Once he got up to the third floor he knocked, hoping that Yosuke’s cousin would be home so the detective would be able to sleep on his bed; Yu made a mental note that now that he was dating his neighbor, he may need to get a few things for his apartment in order to make it more comfortable for Yosuke to visit with the first step being getting a bed. Yu’s cheeks flushed at the thought, just in time for the door to fling open and for Yosuke’s cousin to stare him down, his usual friendly smile marred by a deep frown. He opened his mouth to speak, but then noticed that his cousin was asleep before shutting it.

Instead, still glaring at Yu, he ushered him inside to Yosuke’s room, and watched like a hawk as Yu took off Yosuke’s shoes and carefully tucked him in bed. He began to look for the first aid kit to redress Yosuke’s wounds, but Teddie instead tugged him outside of the room before gently closing the door behind them. He then whirled around to face him. “Yosuke may have forgiven you,” he said in an angry whisper, “but I haven’t, and I’ll be watching you. I thought you were going to be different and then you left my cousin broken hearted when he was in _that_ state. Do you know the first thing he did when he woke up? He went looking for _you_!” Teddie had angry tears forming, and Yu thought back to what Yosuke had told him about his earlier relationships. He motioned Teddie over to the living room, and the blond plopped down on an armchair and clutched one of the throw pillows while Yu moved and sat down gingerly on the couch.

“I want you to hold me accountable,” Yu replied, looking steadily at Teddie. “Yosuke is far too kind to me. And I deserve your anger.” Yu took a deep breath and looked down. “I knew that leaving Yosuke would hurt him – he had told me about what had happened in the past. I thought it was the best thing to do at the time, but Yosuke proved to me that I was wrong. I was so caught up in my own head that I was unable to see that. I know based on my past actions this may seem like a hollow promise, but I will never do that again. I love him.” 

Teddie sniffled, and Yu looked up, before internally panicking when he realized that the college student was actually starting to cry. He looked around wildly for a Kleenex, only stopping when Teddie giggled at him. “It’s alright, I have a handkerchief,” he said, pulling one out of his pocket and wiping his eyes. “I just want Yosuke to be happy. He’s done so much for me and it hurts seeing how other people have treated him in the past. I felt guilty because I had introduced you both and really hoped you would get together and I thought _I_ had caused his heart to get broken again.”

Yu frowned and shook his head. Before he could say anything, however, Teddie continued. “If you’re really being honest and promise you’ll make it up to Yosuke, then _maybe_ I’ll eventually forgive you. You really do make him happy and I don’t want to ruin that for him.” Teddie stared at him, his blue eyes boring into Yu’s, and Yu could feel the underlying threat of what would happen if he broke his promise again.

Yu nodded to show he understood. “Thank you for giving me this chance,” he said, and Teddie let out a sigh.

“You can start by cooking again for us sometime,” he said petulantly, and Yu couldn’t help but smile.

“Of course,” he said, before standing up and checking his watch. It wasn’t yet dawn so he would be able to get down to his apartment without issue. “I’ll be by later to check on him once he wakes up. You’ll soon be sick of me.”

Teddie tried his best to not look excited about getting to eat his food again, and instead merely nodded his head as Yu headed out the door. When Yu made his way back down to his apartment, he thought about his long road ahead. He did have a lot he needed to make up to Yosuke for, but he also looked forward to every step of the journey. And he was glad that Yosuke had people in his life like Teddie to look out for him and to hold him accountable.

Yu stepped into his apartment before pausing for a moment, suddenly struck by how odd it felt to be home after not being there for several days. It felt a bit surreal, and he shook his head before going to look for his phone and powering it back on. Fortunately, since it had been off he still had a decent amount of battery left and he headed over to his leather chair and sat down before pulling open his browser. The first thing he did was scroll through a few sites looking for the perfect bed, something large and cozy so Yosuke would have a comfortable place to sleep if he stayed the night. He then picked out high quality sheets and a down comforter that fit the aesthetic of his “bedroom” that he used for meditation, hoping that Yosuke would find it to his taste. He then began to look for more kitchenware; if he was going to entertain Yosuke and his cousin occasionally, he needed more kitchen appliances and a new dining set since what he had right now was a bare minimum due to rarely having guests over and not needing to cook for himself. He spent more in that evening than he probably had in over the past year combined, but felt like it was for a good cause. Once he was done, he felt satisfied and looked forward to the arrival of his purchases over the upcoming week, along with doting on his new boyfriend and helping him recover. Yu was suddenly glad he was on sabbatical and had the time available to spend on Yosuke.

Over the course of the next week, Yu was busy getting his apartment set up along with spending time with Yosuke and cooking him and Teddie meals each day. Teddie seemed to be warming back up to him, although he tried his best to appear indifferent, and Yosuke basked in the attention. He was also steadily improving, much faster than usual due to the effects of Yu’s blood on his body. Yu began to plan his promised date with Yosuke, knowing that his sabbatical would be up soon and that Yosuke would also be well enough to return to work soon enough as well. He wanted to do something nice for him before that, but despite his words at the bar he was struggling to come up with what would be special enough for the detective. He really wanted to show Yosuke how much he cared about him, and to spoil him in the way he deserved.

Yu was pacing around his apartment, trying to come up with an idea, when he was interrupted by a text message. He pulled out his phone, his expression warming as he saw a message from Yosuke thanking him for dinner. He kept talking about how he had never eaten so well as he had been this past week and had a steady stream of compliments for Yu’s cooking every day. Suddenly, an idea popped into Yu’s head, and he pulled out his phone before looking up recipes for date night dinners. Since Yosuke loved his cooking, having a date night in sounded like an excellent idea. Yu would be able to show off the things he had purchased for the apartment while doting on Yosuke in a personal setting. The idea sounded perfect. He wanted to make something special that Yosuke had probably never had before and he spent hours pouring over recipes trying to come up with the perfect idea. 

At first he was looking at Western dishes and thinking about what kind of meat he may prepare, and he tried to think back to his time before being a vampire, when he had been a chef in training and had been able to taste food. He tried to think back to every meal that had impressed him back then, when he suddenly dredged up an old memory of the first meal he ever remembered being impacted by. He stilled and he set down his phone. He had been a child, and his parents who were wealthy had taken him to a fancy restaurant where he had experienced a kaiseki meal for the first time. Each dish had been carefully thought out with fresh, seasonal ingredients chosen and paired together in delightful dishes that not only looked ornate but also tasted amazing. It had been what inspired him to take an interest in cooking, and it had been such a long time that Yu had almost forgotten his first passion in life. It had been awhile since Yu had made traditional Japanese meals, but he knew with a little study and practice he would be able to pull it off; shortly before becoming a vampire he had treated his parents to a kaiseki meal, and they had finally acknowledged his choice in a career upon realizing how talented their son was. Yu’s heart ached as he thought back on that memory; after becoming a vampire he had never seen his parents again while still alive.

Yu decided making Yosuke a meal fit for an emperor was the perfect idea, and he spent his free time over the next several days coming up with the menu, studying what ingredients were in season, and practicing dishes with Teddie a more than willing participant under the guise of coming over for tutoring. Teddie was useful as a taste tester not only because Yu needed someone to taste the food – his sense of smell could only carry him so far – but also with his knowledge of his cousin’s food preferences which were very useful as Yu learned that Yosuke didn’t like tofu and was very particular about the kind of fish he would eat. Yu felt like he was getting to know the detective even better through his taste in food, and he looked forward to learning more about his boyfriend’s tastes as he continued to come up with more meals for him to enjoy in the future. 

Once Yu had the menu set, he invited Yosuke over for the following night, and he couldn’t help but feel anticipation as he did the food prep and got the dishes ready to present the food to Yosuke. He was dressed in jeans and a comfortable sweater, having noted Yosuke’s preference for him in more casual clothing, and he had candles going with dim lighting in the dining area he had set up in some of the empty space in the living room. He planned to play music from his phone since he didn’t have a stereo, deciding that something light and jazzy would work since Yosuke had seemed to enjoy the music at the piano bar. He would have to look into some sort of music playing device later and figured he may go to Rise for advice.

Yu had purchased some pottery by local artisans for the meal, along with a lacquer tray to carry the dishes to the table. He thought having nice dishes and the romantic lighting just added to the atmosphere and he hoped Yosuke would appreciate the touch. Finally, just as Yu had finished with getting everything prepped, there was a knock at the door. Within a flash, Yu was at the door and opening it up, smiling widely as he saw Yosuke standing there in what Teddie claimed to be his favorite blue jeans and a royal blue button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He had healed up nicely and was pretty much back to normal by now and would be returning to work after taking a physical in a few days. “Hey,” Yosuke said, looking shy as he brought his hand up to the back of his head.

“Welcome,” Yu replied, before stepping inside and offering Yosuke a pair of house slippers he had picked out for him. Yosuke slid off his shoes before putting them on, eyeing the table layout and the bottle of sake and cups sitting out for them.

“This looks fancy,” Yosuke said as Yu ushered him to his seat, pulling out his chair and sliding Yosuke into place.

“I promised you something good, remember?” Yu replied, before pouring Yosuke a cup of sake. Yosuke then took the vessel before pouring Yu his own cup. Yu dropped in his blood tablet and they both took a satisfying first sip, unable to take their eyes off of each other and how good the other looked in the flickering candlelight. Finally, Yu pulled himself away, turning on the music on his phone before going to prepare Yosuke’s first plate, an elegant dish of pickled vegetables that were arranged to look like a little garden. Yosuke was immediately charmed.

“This is like what they eat at those ryokans, aren’t they?” he said. “You made this?” Yu grinned at him before sitting down so he could watch Yosuke enjoy his meal. Yosuke stared at it for a moment. “This is almost too pretty to eat,” he muttered, and Yu chuckled.

“I would be hurt if you didn’t eat what I lovingly prepared for you,” he teased.

“I didn’t say I _wouldn’t_ eat it,” Yosuke replied, before picking up his chopsticks and taking a bite. His eyes lit up with delight. “These are perfect, wow!” he said. It didn’t take him long to finish the dish – each one was small but perfectly balanced with flavor – and Yu swiftly picked up the empty dish before bringing out the next meal. As Yu served Yosuke, they both talked, with Yosuke complimenting Yu’s food and asking him how he came up with the idea. Yu confessed that he wanted to make something Yosuke had probably never had before, and that he decided on the kaiseki because he wanted Yosuke to eat like royalty. Yosuke had blushed a deep red at that admission, and Yu knew at that moment that all of his hours of prep work had been completely worth it.

Once Yu had brought out all of the dishes of meat and vegetables, topped off at the end with an arrangement of sweetened chilled fruits that were shaped like hearts, they made their way to the couch with more sake as the jazz coming from Yu’s phone continued to set the mood in the background. Once on the couch they moved closer together, chatting about some of Yu’s different occupations he had done over the years, while Yosuke discussed what had gotten him interested into policework. As they chatted, they continued to grow closer, leaning in more in order to give the other their full attention, while the sake slowly worked its magic on lowering their inhibitions and making them feel more relaxed. At one point Yosuke’s hand ended on Yu’s thigh, and he began to unconsciously use his thumb to rub slow, lazy circles on Yu’s jeans, which Yu was all too aware of. 

He tried his best to ignore it, pretending that the dusting of red on his cheeks was merely from the alcohol – Yosuke was still talking adamantly and Yu was invested in the story of young Yosuke and how he had gained interest in being a detective after a kid at his school had been found dead. It had been reported as a suicide initially until details had come out later revealing that it had been an accidental murder from an abusive parent’s drunken rage; Yosuke, who had been in the same class as the kid, had not believed the suicide story upon hearing about some of the injuries that seemed unrelated to the fall, and afterward he had started to pay more attention to cases, studying them and gaining a sense of justice to ensure that the victim’s voice be heard and their murderer held accountable.

Yu reached out to clasp Yosuke’s free hand. “You’re so amazing,” he said, eyes gazing into Yosuke’s.

“What do you mean?” Yosuke ask, his hand on Yu’s thigh stilling for a moment.

“Most people would just turn a blind eye, not wanting to get involved. But you, you dig down further and want to get to the truth, to expose the wrongdoing and give justice to the victim. I think it’s admirable.” He squeezed Yosuke’s hand before bringing it up to his lips to place a kiss on it, feeling the roughness of Yosuke’s fingertips as they brushed his own from his many scuffles on the streets of Tokyo.

“You’re pretty amazing yourself,” Yosuke replied. “Helping out everyone in town and listening to their stories. You’ve definitely had more of an impact on the community than I have.”

Yu shook his head. “Every night you go out and protect the city, putting your life at risk without them even knowing to what extent,” he said. “That’s what makes it even more admirable – you protect and defend without people even realizing what you do for them.”

Yosuke shrugged. “It’s the right thing to do,” he said, before squeezing Yu’s thigh. The silver haired man flushed as Yosuke gave him a knowing grin. Ok, maybe the detective wasn’t so unaware at the effect he was having on him. Yosuke took one last sip of sake before setting his cup and the empty bottle on the coffee table and climbing onto Yu’s lap, legs straddling him as he braced his arms on either side of the couch so he could stare down at Yu. Yu’s heart raced as he stared into Yosuke’s smoldering gaze. “How about I show my appreciation for the wonderful meal you prepared for me tonight,” he said, eyes dropping to look at Yu’s lips before slowly raising back up to stare at him expectantly.

“I’m supposed to be appreciating you tonight,” Yu said with a frown, and one hand slid down to rest on Yosuke’s hip before the other reached up to caress his face. Yosuke closed his eyes for a moment and leaned into the touch before reaching over to grip Yu’s hand and tilting his head to place a kiss on his palm.

“We can appreciate each other then, how’s that sound?” he asked, and Yu leaned forward to capture Yosuke’s lips with his own, grinning against the kiss at Yosuke’s pleased gasp at the action.

“Sounds like an excellent idea,” he replied, and it was Yosuke’s turn to lean forward, recapturing Yu’s lips with long, exploratory kisses as one hand buried into Yu’s hair and the other clutched at Yu’s sweater. As the kiss grew more heated, eventually that hand began to travel down to the bottom of the sweater, before dipping underneath as Yosuke’s fingers began to trail along Yu’s chest instead, causing him to shiver in pleasure as Yosuke’s rough fingers traced over muscle and sensitive skin. His breath hitched in his throat and he pulled Yosuke to his chest before flipping him onto his back, pressing Yosuke against the couch and moving to straddle his boyfriend instead. He began to press kisses along the side of Yosuke’s neck, trailing down until he reached the dip between his neck and his shoulder, the detective throwing his arms around him and letting out a moan which caused a thrum of desire to course through Yu’s body.

He pulled away, dark eyes searching Yosuke’s as his boyfriend panted underneath him. “Do you want to move this to the bedroom?” he asked, and Yosuke nodded enthusiastically, causing Yu to smile. He felt a bit nervous, hoping that Yosuke would like the bedroom he had basically thrown together for him, and placed another fervent kiss to Yosuke’s lips before taking his hand and helping him off the couch to lead him to the bedroom. The large bed took up most of the space in the small room that also had Yu’s bookshelves in it, while the comforter, pillows, and expensive sheets looked pretty inviting.

“Wow, this looks nice,” Yosuke said in surprise. “I thought vampires didn’t sleep though?”

“We don’t. I picked this out for you,” Yu admitted, and Yosuke turned to look at him.

“Really?” he asked, voice hitching an octave, and Yu nodded. 

“I wanted you to be comfortable here,” he admitted.

Yosuke looked bashful for a moment, before a determined glint formed in his eyes. “Looks like we’ll have to break it in then,” he said with a grin, before his hand reached forward to tug at the end of Yu’s sweater. He looked at Yu for a moment, obviously waiting for his permission, and Yu obliged by lifting up his arms so Yosuke could pull his sweater over his head and toss it to the floor. Yu then pushed Yosuke back until his legs hit the side of the bed and he sat down, sinking into the comforter and looking pleasantly surprised by how soft and comfortable it was. Yu then began to make short work of Yosuke’s button up, fingers flying through the buttons until he was able to tug off Yosuke’s shirt which soon joined his sweater on the ground. Yosuke’s scarred chest came into view, and Yu stared at it for a moment, his chest clenching with pain as he took in all the injuries his lover had sustained over the years in his job. Yosuke watched him, worry flickering into his gaze, until Yu pushed him back on the bed and pressed his forehead against Yosuke’s.

“You’re so sexy, Yosuke,” he groaned, fingers trailing along Yosuke’s chest, tracing muscle and scars while Yosuke writhed under his touch. Yosuke pressed a kiss onto Yu’s shoulder before reaching out and wrapping his arms around him. Yu slid down and began to press kisses along Yosuke’s chest, kissing the larger scars as his fingers made their way down to Yosuke’s jeans. Yosuke’s hands made their way to Yu’s hair, threading through his silky locks as his eyes slid shut in anticipation. Yu’s fingers pried open Yosuke’s jeans before slowly unzipping, and Yu pulled away from pressing kisses to Yosuke’s chest in order to watch as Yosuke’s bulge sprung up, free from the tightness of his jeans but still trapped by his boxer briefs. 

Yosuke opened his eyes and looked a little nervous as he watched Yu stare down at him, and Yu could tell by how his hands had stilled in his hair that he was waiting for his reaction. Yu leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Yosuke’s dick through his underwear, causing the detective to gasp in surprise. He almost slammed his legs shut from the unexpected move, but Yu managed to stop him and hold his legs open, before pulling off the rest of Yosuke’s jeans and making quick work to take off his own. Yosuke flushed upon realizing how hard Yu was too. “You’re ok with this?” Yu asked. From what he could tell, Yosuke had only been with women before, and he wanted to make sure he was comfortable before moving things forward any more. Yosuke swallowed before nodding eagerly.

“Please,” he begged, and Yu sank down on the floor with his head between Yosuke’s legs. The plan was to spoil Yosuke after all. He pressed another kiss to Yosuke’s dick through his underwear, noting how it twitched in response while his hands began to rub along Yosuke’s thighs. Yosuke threw his head back, his chest heaving from his excited breaths as his body reacted to Yu’s touch. Yu slid Yosuke’s underwear off, dropping it to the floor and taking in the sight of Yosuke’s naked body stretched out on his bed, long legs draped on either side of him with his flushed face buried under one arm with his other hand still buried in his hair. Yu quite liked the view, and his fingers continued to trace circles into the skin of Yosuke’s inner thigh for a moment, as he watched his dick begin to thicken in anticipation. 

“Please,” Yosuke gasped again, and Yu leaned forward before taking Yosuke’s length into his mouth, tongue circling around the tip as Yosuke let out an excited gasp. Yu took that as a sign to continue, and he began to bob his head along Yosuke’s dick, eyes closing as he focused on the sound of Yosuke’s gasps and moans, the feeling of his body as it writhed beneath him, and the heat of his dick as it throbbed in his mouth. Yu used one hand to begin swirling around the bottom of the shaft, while the other held Yosuke steady. Yosuke’s fingers began to tug at Yu’s hair, not enough to hurt but instead acting as encouragement as Yu continued to thoroughly pleasure him.

Right as Yosuke was about to cum, however, the brunet tugged more insistently at the strands of Yu’s hair until Yu pulled away, giving Yosuke a puzzled look. “I want it to be together,” Yosuke gasped, willing himself away from the edge. Once he was out of the danger zone, he scooted back on the bed and motioned for Yu to join him. Yu climbed onto the bed and allowed Yosuke to tug off his underwear, staring down at his dick for a moment before reaching out with a tentative hand to touch it. Yosuke’s hands were searing hot, and as his rough finger tips ran along the sensitive skin of Yu’s shaft, Yu was unable to hold back a moan of his own. He flushed in embarrassment while Yosuke looked quite pleased in being able to get that reaction out of him. He then got a firm grip on Yu’s dick and began to tease at it, starting by slowly twisting his hand along the shaft and rubbing his thumb on the tip before picking up speed as he began to pump. Once Yu had pre-cum forming at the tip, Yosuke scooted closer to him and used the cum to start to lubricate the rest of his dick, making the process easier as his hand began to slide more easily and start to form the welcome friction that Yu craved. Now that Yosuke was within easier reach, Yu reached out to his sensitive dick and began to tease it again, enjoying the short gasps and moans it caused Yosuke who stopped his ministrations for a moment due to how good it felt. However, Yosuke was just as determined to spoil Yu it seemed, for he soon returned to teasing his dick, getting into a rhythm of pumping up and down before twisting along the tip.

Yu could tell that they were both getting close at this point, and he leaned forward to press his lips against Yosuke’s, breathing in his frantic moans as their hips bucked together. Yu pressed their dicks together and guided Yosuke’s hand to show him how to grasp both of them at the same time, allowing them to grind against one another as they both pumped in unison. He felt Yosuke begin to buck harder, and the realization that he was about to cum caused him to push over the edge as well. Yu gasped out Yosuke’s name as they both came together, clutching each other as their cum spilled out on their chests, before Yosuke tipped back onto the bed, pulling Yu down so he could cradle his head against his chest. Although they were both overheated, they didn’t pull away, and instead regaled in the feeling of their panting breaths and racing hearts as they clung to each other until they both began to cool down again. Yu then pulled away and looked down at Yosuke who looked breathtaking with his messed hair and half lidded eyes. It looked like the sake was really having an effect on him now since he also looked like he was about to fall asleep. “That was amazing,” Yosuke said, and Yu grinned before pressing a chaste kiss to his lips.

“You’re amazing,” he replied, before getting up to grab a towel in order to clean them off. He then pulled Yosuke under the covers with him, glad that he spent the extra money when he felt how good the sheets felt against his skin. Yosuke let out a yawn.

“’m tired,” he mumbled, and Yu’s eyes softened.

“Then you should sleep,” he said.

“But I want to spend more time with you,” Yosuke grumbled. He looked half asleep already, which made it all the more endearing.

“We have all the time to hang out,” Yu reminded him. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Yosuke nodded, tired brain accepting the logic, before he cuddled closer to Yu. “Goodnight,” he said before drifting off, and Yu pulled Yosuke to him, feeling completely at peace for the first time since he could remember.

“Goodnight,” he softly murmured, watching Yosuke sleep for several moments before closing his own eyes and drifting into his meditative state. In his state, he focused on Yosuke’s steady heartbeat and breathing, and he couldn’t help but look forward to the fact that from that point forward, he would get to know Yosuke more and more. Not only would he learn more about the amazing man in his arms, he would also allow Yosuke to get to know him in return. It had been awhile since he had something to truly look forward to, and this time Yu wasn’t going to let it go for anything in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is the final chapter of Tainted Love! I want to thank everyone who read and commented each chapter - I loved seeing everyone's thoughts on this story that I really enjoyed writing! I do have plans to wrap up each member of the IT's story at some point along with a final epilogue for Yu and Yosuke, so hopefully you look forward to it ^^ Until then, I hope you can enjoy this last chapter to the main story!


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